WAC 16-750-185   State noxious weed control board -- Access to public records and documents.  (1) In accordance with the Public Records Disclosure Act of Washington, the board shall make available for public inspection and copying all public records, unless the record falls within the specific exemptions of RCW 42.17.260(6), 42.17.310, 42.17.315, or other statute which exempts or prohibits disclosure of specific information or records.

     (2) The provisions of chapter 42.17 RCW shall be liberally construed to promote full access to public records so as to assure continuing public confidence and to assure the public interest will be fully protected.

     (3) Place and times for inspection and copying. The executive secretary will make public records available for inspection upon request.

     (4) Charges for copying. No fee shall be charged for the inspection of public records. The executive secretary may impose a reasonable charge for providing copies of public records and for the use by any person of agency equipment to copy public records, which charges shall not exceed the amount necessary to reimburse the board for its actual costs incident to such copying.

     (5) Responses to requests. Responses to requests for public records shall be made promptly. Within five business days of receiving a public record request the board will respond as follows:

     (a) With the record requested;

     (b) Acknowledgment of the request and a reasonable estimate of the time it will take to provide the requested records or documents;

     (c) Denying the public record request.

     Denials of requests will be accompanied by a written statement of the specific reasons the request is being denied and shall have received a prompt review and final determination by the board's executive committee. Additional time may be required to respond to a request due to time needed to clarify the intent of the request, to locate and assemble the information requested, to notify third persons or agencies affected by the request, or to determine whether any of the information requested is exempt. In acknowledging receipt of a public record request that is unclear, the executive secretary may ask the requestor to clarify what information the requestor is seeking. If the requestor fails to clarify the request, the board will not respond to it.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 17.10 RCW. 99-24-029, § 16-750-185, filed 11/23/99, effective 1/3/00; 93-01-004, § 16-750-185, filed 12/2/92, effective 1/2/93.]