PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR AMENDING AND EXTENDING PROCLAMATIONS 20-05, 20-28, 20-28.1, 28.2, and 28.3

On May 29, 2020, in Proclamation 20-28.4 (Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act), the Governor extended and amended Proclamations 20-28, 20-28.1, 20-28.2 and 20-28.3 to reflect the May 29, 2020 legislative leadership action and to similarly extend the expiration date of the proclamation to June 17, 2020. 

Each statutory provision below is waived and suspended until June 17, 2020:

• RCW 42.56.080(2), as to the following words only: “Agency facilities shall be made available to any person for the copying of public records except when and to the extent that this would unreasonably disrupt the operations of the agency.”; “in person during an agency's normal office hours, or”
• RCW 42.56.090, as to the first sentence only
• RCW 42.56.100, as to the following word only in the first sentence: “full” 
• RCW 42.56.520(1), as to the following words only in the second sentence: “Within five business days of receiving a public records request,” This statutory suspension at 42.56.520(1) does not apply to requests for public records received by an agency electronically. 

Request Public Records

Any person requesting a public record is encouraged to make the request by filling out the Public Records Request form. Requests should be made to the Public Records Officer (PRO) and should include the following information:

• Name of Person Making Request
• Street Address, City, State, Zip Code
• Telephone Number
• Email Address
• Description of Public Records Request
• Type of Request (paper, electronic, or onsite inspection)
• Signature

Public Records Request Policy

General Availability of Records

Public records will be available for inspection during THA’s customary business hours. Customary business hours are posted at THA and on the THA web site. Records must be inspected at the 902 South L. Street, Tacoma, WA 98405 office of THA. Upon request for identifiable public records, THA will make records promptly available to any person including, if applicable, on a partial or installment basis as records that are part of a larger set of requested records are assembled or made ready for inspection or disclosure. THA will not deny any request for identifiable public records solely on the basis that the request is overbroad.

If a requestor has not made arrangements to review or claim records within (30) thirty days of notice that the records are available, the PRO may close the request.

Records Exempt from Disclosure

Although documents that perpetuate, communicate, or formalize knowledge are public records, the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) and other statutes list types of public documents exempt from public viewing and copying. If only part of a record is exempt, the PRO will redact the exempt portions before providing the document. THA will not disclose lists of individuals for commercial purposes.

Cost for Providing Public Records

THA does not charge for the staff time spent in locating a public record or for making a record available for inspection. The law allows THA to charge for the actual costs connected with copying public records, inlcuding the staff time spent making copies.

If an installment of a records request is not paid for or reviewed within (30) thirty days after THA provides notice of availability of the installment, THA is not obligated to fulfill the balance of the request. In addition, because THA is prohibited from lending its credit, a requestor must prepay the estimated copy cost for any copies that must be made by an outside vendor.

Copy charges above may be combined to the extent that more than one type of charge applies to copies responsive to a request. Pursuant to RCW 42.56.130, the costs listed above do not supersede any fees for copying public records authorized by other statutory provisions, other than Chapter 42.56 RCW.