Requests for public records.
(1) Definition. Except for requests for assistance to review or obtain documents on the commission's website, any request for identifiable public records is a request for public records to which the commission must respond in compliance with the Public Records Act. Requests for public records do not include:
(a) Requests for general information about a subject or company that the commission regulates;
(b) Standing or ongoing requests for records that do not exist at the time the commission receives the request;
(c) Requests that the commission create a new document that compiles, organizes, collates, analyzes, summarizes, or is otherwise derived from existing commission records; or
(d) Requests for all or substantially all records prepared, owned, used, or retained by the commission.
(2) Form of request.
(a) Public records request form. Any person making a request for public records should complete the commission's Online Records Request Form. Persons can access this form on the commission's website and may contact the records center for assistance.
(b) Other writing. A person who is unable or elects not to use the commission's Online Records Request Form may submit a letter or email to the records center. Such a request should contain the information listed in subsection (3) of this section.
(c) Telephone or in-person requests. The commission will honor requests for public records made in person or by telephone to the public records officer during the commission's customary business hours. Any such request should include the information listed in subsection (3) of this section. The public records officer will subsequently confirm receipt of this information and the substance of the request in a written communication to the requester.
(3) Needed information. Any request for public records should include the following information that the commission needs to respond to the request:
(a) The requester's name, physical address, email address, and telephone number;
(b) The date on which the requester submits the request;
(c) The identity of any individual, business, or other organization for whom the requester is making the request, if not only for the requester personally;
(d) A clear statement that the requester is requesting public records;
(e) An election of whether the requester wants to inspect the public records, obtain copies, or both;
(f) A clear description of the identifiable public records the requester is requesting; and
(g) A statement of whether the requester is requesting a list of individuals to be used for any commercial purposes.
(4) Requester's failure or refusal to provide information. The public records officer will identify any information the commission needs that a requester has not included in a request for public records and will work with the requester to provide that information. If a requester refuses to provide his or her identity or sufficient other information, the commission will respond to the request to the extent feasible and consistent with applicable law.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
80.01.040 and
80.04.160. WSR 18-20-007 (Docket A-180513, General Order R-594), § 480-04-090, filed 9/19/18, effective 10/20/18; WSR 03-24-028 (General Order R-510, Docket No. A-010648), § 480-04-090, filed 11/24/03, effective 1/1/04. Statutory Authority: RCW
80.01.040,
80.04.160 and
81.04.160. WSR 98-02-011 (Order R-446, Docket No. A-970591), § 480-04-090, filed 12/29/97, effective 1/29/98. Statutory Authority: RCW
80.01.040. WSR 92-07-006 (Order R-368, Docket No. A-910530), § 480-04-090, filed 3/5/92, effective 4/5/92; Order R-43, § 480-04-090, filed 4/5/73.]
