Statement by Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, on today’s passage of the Legislative Public Records Act

“Today the Legislature took an important first step into the sunshine with the passage of the Legislative Public Records Act. Openness and transparency in government are crucial components of democracy. While I would have preferred for the bill to travel the typical legislative processes, including through committee hearings, once it was before us I felt strongly it was important for me to vote in favor of openness and transparency, while also protecting constituent privacy and the legislative process. As this greater transparency is put into practice, the public will have access to more legislative records than ever before. In this new, more open era, we’ll continue to ensure this law works as it is intended to.”