Bills would hinder public records requests

We understand the financial and physical burden public records requests put on employees at local, regional and state agencies. Especially large requests, which are time consuming, as the city of Cheney found out not long ago.

But we have doubts and concerns about whether two pieces of legislation moving through Olympia carry the answers to this problem. Both bills have passed the House and are now in Senate committees.

House Bill 1594 would provide $25,000 for a study by a consultant picked by the state archivist to evaluate the creation of a web portal in which all public records can be plac...