WashCOG’s fall newsletter shares our plans for the 2027 legislative session, recognition of transparency warriors and the latest on legislative secrecy.

Range Media of Spokane was recognized recently with a Key Award for its investigative series about the increasing use of Flock Safety license plate cameras and the use of the surveillance tool.

A challenge to the legality of “legislative privilege,” which some lawmakers say allows them to withhold materials from the public, will be heard by the Washington State Supreme Court this term.

Gov. Bob Ferguson issued an early order prohibiting automatic deletion of Microsoft Teams chats and other messaging by state employees, but we’ve heard very little about what happened next. Here are the relevant records.

Joe Kunzler of Sedro-Woolley received a Key Award to honor his work advocating for government transparency and access.

Centralia resident Brittany Voie was presented a Key Award in May 2026 for her use of public records to enlighten the public about an official who left office and several others hoping to win an elected seat.

WashCOG is recognizing citizen activists and investigative reporters with Key Awards this summer, highlighting the recipients’ efforts to promote government transparency.

Seattle Times reporter Manuel Villa was honored with a Key Award for his deep dive into overtime “spiking,” which helped raise retirement pensions for some city employees.

Now we know which Washington agencies are speediest and which are slowpokes in fulfilling public records requests, based on our analysis of data filed with a state legislative committee for 2020 to 2024.

Our April 2026 newsletter is available, offering updates on our legislative and legal advocacy, our celebration of transparency successes and our plans for this year and next.

Co-plaintiffs WashCOG and Jaime Nixon have asked the state Supreme Court to review a recent appellate court ruling that the state Legislature has a “privilege” to withhold internal legislative records from the public

Americans overwhelmingly support access to public information, according to a national survey released during Sunshine Week by the University of Florida. The support spanned the political spectrum..

Every year, Sunshine Week promotes awareness of access issues. Check out some of the coverage, discussions and alerts about state and federal sunshine laws.

As the 2026 legislative session ends, WashCOG and its access allies count the successes and ongoing challenges to government transparency addressed (or not!) this year — plus a few bills on the governor’s desk.

About 150 people braved rain and snow on March 13, 2026 to attend WashCOG’s annual Sunshine Breakfast and honor individuals for their transparency advocacy.

WashCOG responds to disappointing appeals court ruling on “legislative privilege,” supporting legislators who wish to withhold records from oversight.

The first of several challenges to the state legislature’s claim of a “legislative privilege” to withhold deliberative documents was rejected in a split vote by the Court of Appeals. WashCOG’s case on the same issue is still pending.

WashCOG is taking reservations for its annual Sunshine Breakfast, where we will honor exceptional work in pursuit of access and accountability. Learn about this year’s Sunshine Warriors.

The nonprofit newsroom InvestigateWest will be honored with the Toby Nixon Award at this year’s Sunshine Breakfast, recognizing its longstanding commitment to civic accountability.

WashCOG is recognizing Wilkeson Mayor Jayme Peloli for her persistent public records research to help her community push back against a bridge closure.