Proposed WA Constitutional amendment would end legislative privilege

(The Center Square) – As a legal battle continues regarding legislative privilege exempting state lawmakers from the Public Records Act, a proposed Senate Joint Resolution would, if approved by two thirds of the state Legislature and Washington voters, give the public explicit access to legislators’ communications regarding introduced or potential legislation.

The court battle over whether or not legislative privilege exists has existed for several years, with a Thurston County Superior Court judge ruling in 2023 that it in fact did exist. The case has since advanced to the Court of Appeals.

Senate Joint Resolution 8211 sponsored by Senate Local Government Committee Chair Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, would settle the matter by adding the following to the State Cons...