OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A government agency that improperly withholds public records can now emerge from legal action with no financial penalties.
A bill approved by Gov. Chris Gregoire on Thursday allows courts to award members of the public compensation of between $0 and $100 for every day that a record was improperly kept secret. That lowers the minimum penalty from $5 per day.
An original version of the bill had also recommended raising the maximum compensation to $500 per day. The Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington supported increasing the maximum, arguing that higher penalties for noncompliance will encourage agencies to provide records in a timely manner.
Gregoire says she doesn’t favor higher penalties because those costs are paid by taxpayers.
