In accordance with requirements of chapter 42.17 RCW that agencies prevent unreasonable invasions of privacy, protect public records from damage or disorganization, and prevent excessive interference with essential functions of the office, public records may be inspected or copied or copies of such records may be obtained, by members of the public, upon compliance with the following procedures:

1. (1) A request shall be made in writing upon a form prescribed by the office which shall be available at its office. The form shall be presented to the public records officer; or to the appropriate member of the office's staff, if the public records officer is not available, at the office during customary office hours. The request shall include the following information:

   1. (a) The name, address, and organization represented, if any, of the person requesting the record;
   2. (b) The calendar date on which the request was made;
   3. (c) The nature of the request;
   4. (d) If the matter requested is referenced within the current index maintained by the records officer, a reference to the requested record as it is described in such current index;
   5. (e) If the requested matter is not identifiable by reference to the office's current index, an appropriate description of the record requested;
2. (2) In all cases in which a member of the public is making a request, it shall be the obligation of the public records officer or, in his or her absence, the appropriate staff member to whom the request is made, to assist the member of the public in appropriately identifying the public record requested.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 39.19.030(7). WSR 92-24-107, § 326-07-080, filed 12/2/92, effective 1/2/93.]