University of Washington (Washington National Primate Research Center)

Open Records Law

Name: Washington Public Records Act

Citation: W.R.C.A. 42.56.001 et seq.

Commentary:

Anyone can file a request. Initial response time is five days. There are no appeals. You can ask the Washington Attorney General for a nonbinding opinion about your dispute with a state university. Fees are only for the actual cost of duplication. Fee waivers aren’t addressed, but the law says that agencies “may” charge fees, which implies that they have the power to not charge. When universities do charge fees, they’re so low (literally a few dollars) that a waiver isn’t necessary. Based on our experience, Washington is unquestionably the best state for getting animal documents from public universities and colleges. They usually release everything we ask for, often with an astoundingly small amount of redaction. Some institutions respond quickly, though others take a while. Fees are minimal or nonexistent.

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