Senate Bill 6617

Last week, the Washington Legislature attempted to quietly sneak a bill through that would exempt itself from the Public Records Act, a public disclosure law that every other body within our state and local government must comply with. Over a dozen newspapers across the state, including this one, ran front-page editorials exposing this blatant abuse of power and encouraging readers to demand that Gov. Inslee veto the bill. It worked. On Thursday night, Inslee vetoed Senate Bill 6617.

I understand that newspapers have a stake in the issue of government transparency. In order for them to write their stories, and sell their product, they need public officials to give them access to the emails, calendars, receipts, reports and other records that citizens pay them to produce. We need more of those stories, not fewer, so we can play our part as informed citizens.

If the media, including the hard-working reporters, editors and staff at this paper, had not chosen to take a principled stand on behalf of government transparency, our community would be worse off.

Thank you Spokesman-Review.

Joe Felice

Liberty Lake