House Bill 1885 (H-1207.1) proposes to amend RCW 42.56.010 by replacing that section with a new set of definitions for the Public Records Act. The bill text supplied replaces the existing definitions for "agency," "person in interest," "public record," and "writing," and states those definitions apply throughout the chapter. The bill was read for the first time on 02/07/25 during the 69th Legislature, 2025 Regular Session. Key definitional changes in the supplied text: "Agency" is defined to include all state and local agencies but expressly excludes a comprehensive cancer center operating under RCW 28B.10.930; "person in interest" is the subject of a record or a designated representative (including a parent or legal representative for those under legal disability); "public record" is broadly defined to include writings relating to the conduct of government or performance of government functions and explicitly includes writings relating to internal legislative deliberations concerning bills (including drafts, recommendations, and internal legislative and interbranch communications expressing opinions or formulating or recommending policy). For the offices of the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house, "public records" are defined to mean legislative records under RCW 40.14.100 and additionally include budget and financial records, personnel leave/travel/payroll records, records of legislative sessions, reports submitted to the legislature, and any record designated a public record by official action of the senate or house. The definition of "writing" is made very broad, and the text excludes certain records held by volunteers who meet specified conditions. This is a modification of existing law limited to statutory definitions and the scope of records covered by the Public Records Act (a procedural/definitions change), not a new crime or penalty change. The provided text does not show the specific repeal or removal of any legislative privilege exemption despite the bill title indicating that intent; it is therefore unclear from these excerpts whether or how other sections of the bill remove legislative privilege language or otherwise amend related statutes such as RCW 40.14.100 or RCW 28B.10.930.

If enacted as shown here, the bill expands and clarifies what counts as a public record by explicitly including internal legislative deliberations about bills, internal legislative and interbranch communications in which opinions or policy recommendations are made, and, for the offices of the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house, budget, financial, personnel leave/travel/payroll records, session records, reports to the legislature, and any other records those offices designate. State and local agencies generally fall under the definition of "agency," while certain comprehensive cancer centers are excluded and some volunteer-held records meeting narrow conditions are not covered. The practical effect is that state and local agencies and legislative offices would likely face broader disclosure obligations, which may increase the volume of records they must process and their administrative costs and legal exposure when internal communications become subject to public requests. Legislators and staff could see more internal policy discussions become public. It is unclear from these excerpts whether the bill actually removes any separate statutory legislative privilege elsewhere in law, so the full scope of change to privileges and exemptions is uncertain without the rest of the bill.