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OLYMPIA—A controversial bill that would have allowed local agencies to prioritize how they fulfill public records requests is dead. House Bill 2576, which drew criticism from open-government proponents, but had strong support from local government entities, has been placed in the Washington State House Rules Committee “X” file, and will receive no further consideration this session, said the bill’s sponsor Rep. Joan McBride, D-Kirkland. McBride’s proposal, which was aimed at stopping overly broad and harassing requests...
OLYMPIA—When he entered the marijuana industry a little more than a year ago, Jim Mullen said he wanted to help dismantle stigmas surrounding pot. The co-owner of The Herbery — two marijuana shops in Vancouver — Mullen is one of many licensed business owners in the state who have entered the market since 2012 when voters approved Initiative 502 to legalize the recreational use and sale of marijuana to adults. “I see a huge opportunity for growth in this industry,” Mullen said. “We want to position ourselves to be someone who...
OLYMPIA—Lawmakers are looking to modify the Public Records Act in an effort to help agencies that claim they’re burdened by overly broad and massive public records requests. House Bill 2576 would give agencies the power to limit the time they spend each month responding to public records requests, and would allow them to charge for providing public records requested for commercial purposes. Rep. Joan McBride, D-Kirkland, the bill’s sponsor, said the bill isn’t meant to undermine transparency in local government, but instead h...
