Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=504-45&full=true
Timestamp: 2020-07-06 00:17:57
Document Index: 288317955

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504', 'arts 106', '§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504', '§ 504']

Chapter 504-45 WAC:
WACs > Title 504 > Chapter 504-45
HTMLPDF 504-45-010 Authority and purpose.
HTMLPDF 504-45-020 Agency description—Contact information—Public records officer.
HTMLPDF 504-45-030 Availability of public records.
HTMLPDF 504-45-040 Processing of public records requests—General.
HTMLPDF 504-45-050 Processing of public records requests—Electronic records.
HTMLPDF 504-45-060 Exemptions.
HTMLPDF 504-45-070 Costs of providing copies of public records.
HTMLPDF 504-45-080 Review of denials of public records.
PDF504-45-010
PDF504-45-020
(1) Washington State University is an institution of higher education, authority for which is located in chapter 28B.30 RCW. The administrative offices of the university are located at the university's main campus at Pullman, Washington. Other campuses are located at Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, and Everett, Washington. Agricultural research centers are located at Mt. Vernon, Prosser, Puyallup, Vancouver, and Wenatchee, Washington. Cooperative extension offices are maintained at the county seats of all counties in the state. The university also has operations offices at Seattle and Olympia, Washington.
(2) Any person wishing to request access to public records of the university, or seeking assistance in making such a request, should contact the university's public records office located at the Pullman administrative offices. Current contact information and additional information regarding release of public records are available on the university's web site at https://wsu.edu.
(3) The public records officer oversees compliance with the act, but another university staff member may process the request. Therefore, these rules refer to the public records officer or "designee." The public records officer or designee and the university provide the "fullest assistance" to requestors; ensure that public records are protected from damage or disorganization; and prevent fulfilling public records requests from causing excessive interference with essential functions of the university.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.30.150. WSR 17-23-138, § 504-45-020, filed 11/20/17, effective 12/21/17; WSR 13-24-028, § 504-45-020, filed 11/25/13, effective 12/26/13; WSR 07-04-027, § 504-45-020, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07.]
PDF504-45-030
PDF504-45-040
(1) Providing "fullest assistance." The university is charged by statute with adopting rules which provide for how it is to "provide full access to public records," "protect records from damage or disorganization," "prevent excessive interference with the essential functions of the agency," provide "fullest assistance" to requestors, and provide the "most timely possible action" on public records requests. The public records officer or designee processes requests in the order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner.
(2) Acknowledging receipt of request. Within five business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer or designee does one or more of the following:
(e) Denies the request.
(4) Protecting rights of others. In the event that the requested records contain information that may affect rights of others and may be exempt from disclosure, the public records officer or designee may, prior to providing the records, give notice to such others whose rights may be affected by the disclosure. Such notice should be given so as to make it possible for those other persons to contact the requestor and ask him or her to revise the request, or, if necessary, seek an order from a court to prevent or limit the disclosure. The notice to the affected persons includes a copy of the request.
(5) Records exempt from disclosure. Some records are exempt from disclosure, in whole or in part. If the university believes that a record is exempt from disclosure and should be withheld, the public records officer or designee states the specific exemption and provides a brief explanation of why the record or a portion of the record is being withheld. If only a portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, but the remainder is not exempt, the public records officer or designee redacts the exempt portions, provides the nonexempt portions, and indicates to the requestor why portions of the record are being redacted.
(a) Consistent with other demands, the university must promptly provide space to inspect public records. No member of the public may remove a document from the viewing area or disassemble or alter any document. The requestor must indicate which documents he or she wishes the university to copy.
(b) The requestor must claim or review the assembled records within thirty days of the university's notification to him or her that the records are available for inspection or copying. The university notifies the requestor in writing of this requirement and informs the requestor that he or she should contact the university to make arrangements to claim or review the records. If the requestor or a representative of the requestor fails to claim or review the records within the thirty-day period or make other arrangements, the university may close the request. Other public records requests can be processed ahead of a subsequent request by the same person for the same or almost identical records, which can be processed as a new request.
(7) Providing copies of records. After inspection is complete, the public records officer or designee makes any copies of records requested by the requestor or arranges for copying.
(8) Providing records in installments. When the request is for a large number of records, the public records officer or designee provides access for inspection and copying in installments, if he or she reasonably determines that it would be practical to provide the records in that way. If, within thirty days, the requestor fails to inspect the entire set of records or one or more of the installments, the public records officer or designee may stop searching for the remaining records and close the request.
(9) Completion of inspection. When the inspection of the requested records is complete and all requested copies are provided, the public records officer or designee indicates that the university has completed a diligent search for the requested records and made any located nonexempt records available for inspection.
(10) Closing withdrawn or abandoned request. When the requestor either withdraws the request or fails to fulfill his or her obligations to inspect the records or pay the deposit or final payment for the requested copies, the public records officer or designee closes the request and indicates to the requestor that the university has closed the request.
(11) Later discovered documents. If, after the university has informed the requestor that it has provided all available records, the university becomes aware of additional responsible documents existing at the time of the request, it must promptly inform the requestor of the additional documents and make them available for inspection or provide copies upon payment on an expedited basis.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.30.150. WSR 17-23-138, § 504-45-040, filed 11/20/17, effective 12/21/17; WSR 13-24-028, § 504-45-040, filed 11/25/13, effective 12/26/13; WSR 07-04-027, § 504-45-040, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07.]
PDF504-45-050
PDF504-45-060
(1) The Public Records Act provides that a number of types of documents are exempt from public inspection and copying. In addition, documents are exempt from disclosure if any "other statute" exempts or prohibits disclosure. Requestors should be aware of the following exemptions, outside the Public Records Act, that restrict the availability of some documents held by the university for inspection and copying. This is not an exhaustive list as numerous exemptions exist outside the act. The university's failure to list an exemption here does not affect the efficacy of any exemption.
(d) 45 C.F.R. parts 106 and 164 - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA);
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.30.150. WSR 17-23-138, § 504-45-060, filed 11/20/17, effective 12/21/17; WSR 07-04-027, § 504-45-060, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07.]
PDF504-45-070
PDF504-45-080
(1) Petition for internal administrative review of denial of access. Any person who objects to the initial denial or partial denial of a records request may petition in writing (including email) to the public records officer for a review of that decision. The petition must include a copy of, or reasonably identify, the written statement by the public records officer or designee denying the request.
(2) Consideration of petition for review. The public records officer must immediately consider the petition and either affirm or reverse such denial within two business days following the university's receipt of the petition, or within such other time as the university and the requestor mutually agree.
(3) Review by the attorney general's office. Pursuant to RCW 42.56.530, if the university denies a requestor access to public records because it claims the record is exempt in whole or in part from disclosure, the requestor may request the attorney general's office review the matter. The attorney general has adopted rules on such requests in WAC 44-06-160.
(4) Judicial review. Any person may request court review of denials of public records requests pursuant to RCW 42.56.550 at the conclusion of two business days after the initial denial regardless of any internal administrative appeal.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.30.150. WSR 17-23-138, § 504-45-080, filed 11/20/17, effective 12/21/17; WSR 08-08-055, § 504-45-080, filed 3/27/08, effective 4/27/08; WSR 07-04-027, § 504-45-080, filed 1/29/07, effective 3/1/07.]