OLYMPIA… The Washington State Senate today concurred with minor amendments made by the House of Representatives and passed Senate Bill 5130 unanimously. 

The Senate unanimously approved the measure last week, and the House voted 94-2 in favor of the amended bill on Tuesday. SB 5130, sponsored by Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, would limit public-record requests by inmates by allowing courts to reject requests made to harass or intimidate an agency, its employees, or any person, or if disclosure of the record is likely to threaten the security of correctional facilities, the safety and security of staff or other persons, or the deterrence of criminal activity. 

“In 15 years as a state legislator, I’ve never seen a bill move this quickly from the Senate to the House, back to the Senate and to the governor’s desk,” Carrell said. “It’s obvious to me that people want to see this bill enacted, and I’m looking forward to seeing the governor sign it.” 

The governor notified lawmakers Thursday of her intent to sign the bill upon passage. That ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. today in the governor’s conference room just outside her office in the Legislative Building in Olympia. 

SB 5130 was originally requested by the Office of the Attorney General.