Washington 2017-2018 Regular Session Status: Passed House Bipartisan · 22 D · 1 R cosponsors

HB 2778 — Protecting personal information regarding sexual harassment claims.

Last action — By resolution, returned to House Rules Committee for third reading.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill HB 2778 now includes a specific provision that protects the personal information of employees who file sexual harassment claims, prohibiting its disclosure without their consent. This change matters because it aims to create a safer environment for employees reporting harassment, reducing the risk of retaliation or further victimization. Additionally, the bill establishes civil liability for anyone who misuses this information to harass or intimidate the employee, allowing victims to seek legal recourse. Overall, these amendments enhance protections for vulnerable individuals in the workplace.

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H-4476.1SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2778State of Washington65th Legislature2018 Regular SessionBy House State Government, Elections & Information Technology (originally sponsored by Representatives Jinkins, Stambaugh, Fitzgibbon, Gregerson, Caldier, Kilduff, Tharinger, Hansen, Orwall, Wylie, Stonier, Bergquist, Clibborn, Dolan, McBride, Kraft, Macri, Senn, Reeves, Haler, Riccelli, Valdez, Sawyer, Tarleton, Frame, Doglio, Fey, Robinson, Pollet, Kloba, Stanford, and Santos)READ FIRST TIME 02/02/18.AN ACT Relating to protecting personal information from disclosure for persons who make claims of sexual harassment;
H-3561.1HOUSE BILL 2778State of Washington65th Legislature2018 Regular SessionBy Representatives Jinkins, Stambaugh, Fitzgibbon, Gregerson, Caldier, Kilduff, Tharinger, Hansen, Orwall, Wylie, Stonier, Bergquist, Clibborn, Dolan, McBride, Kraft, Macri, Senn, Reeves, Haler, Riccelli, Valdez, Sawyer, Tarleton, Frame, Doglio, Fey, Robinson, Pollet, Kloba, Stanford, and SantosRead first time 01/16/18.
Referred to Committee on State Govt, Elections & IT.AN ACT Relating to protecting personal information from disclosure for persons who make claims of sexual harassment;
and adding new sections to chapter 42.56 RCW.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:Sec. 1.  RCW 42.56.250 and 2017 c 38 s 1 and 2017 c 16 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:The following employment and licensing information is exempt from public inspection and copying under this chapter:(1) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a license, employment, or academic examination;(2) All applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant;(3) Professional growth plans (PGPs) in educator license renewals submitted through the eCert system in the office of the superintendent of public instruction;(4) The following information held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, volunteer rosters, or included in any mailing list of employees or volunteers of any public agency:
and adding a new section to chapter 42.56 RCW.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:Sec. 1.  RCW 42.56.250 and 2017 c 38 s 1 and 2017 c 16 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:The following employment and licensing information is exempt from public inspection and copying under this chapter:(1) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a license, employment, or academic examination;(2) All applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant;(3) Professional growth plans (PGPs) in educator license renewals submitted through the eCert system in the office of the superintendent of public instruction;(4) The following information held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, volunteer rosters, or included in any mailing list of employees or volunteers of any public agency:
and(11) Information that identifies an agency employee who has made a claim with the employing agency of sexual harassment and has requested that his or her identity or any identifying information not be disclosed without his or her consent, except for the name of the agency employee who made the claim and receives a monetary settlement from the agency arising out of the claim of sexual harassment.
and(11) The personal information of an agency employee who has made a claim with the employing agency of sexual harassment and has requested that his or her personal information not be disclosed without his or her consent.
The agency must notify the employee who makes a claim of sexual harassment that the employee may request that his or her identity or any identifying information not be disclosed.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 42.56 RCW to read as follows:(1) Any person who requests and obtains the identity or identifying information of an agency employee that has made a claim of sexual harassment and uses such information to harass, stalk, threaten, or intimidate that employee, is subject to civil liability.(2) Any person liable under subsection (1) of this section may be sued in superior court by any aggrieved party, or in the name of the state by the attorney general or the prosecuting authority of any political subdivision.
The agency must notify the employee who makes a claim of sexual harassment that the employee may request that his or her personal information not be disclosed.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 42.56 RCW to read as follows:(1) Any person who requests and obtains the personal information of an agency employee that has made a claim of sexual harassment and uses such information to harass, stalk, threaten, or intimidate that employee, is subject to civil liability.(2) Any person liable under subsection (1) of this section may be sued in superior court by any aggrieved party, or in the name of the state by the attorney general or the prosecuting authority of any political subdivision.
The plaintiff may recover up to one thousand dollars for each record used in violation of this section, as well as costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 42.56 RCW to read as follows:By January 1, 2023, the public records exemptions accountability committee, in addition to its duties in RCW 42.56.140, must prepare and submit a report to the legislature that includes recommendations on whether the exemption created in section 1, chapter .
The plaintiff may recover up to one thousand dollars for each record used in violation of this section, as well as costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.--- END ---
., Laws of 2018 (section 1 of this act) should be continued, modified, or terminated, in accordance with its authority under RCW 42.56.140.--- END ---
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Action History

  1. By resolution, returned to House Rules Committee for third reading.

  2. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  3. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  4. SGTE - Majority; do pass.

  5. First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections.

  6. Third reading, passed; yeas, 98; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

  7. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  8. 1st substitute bill substituted.

  9. 1st substitute bill substituted.

  10. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  11. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  12. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  13. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  14. SEIT - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  15. SEIT - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  16. First reading, referred to State Government, Elections & Information Technology (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report).

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 31 co-sponsors · 119 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (31)

Not signed on (119)

119 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Final Passage (#36)

Passed 98 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 50000
Republican 15000
Democrat 33000
Total 98000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (98)
Member Party Vote
Appleton — Yea
Cody — Yea
Dolan — Yea
Graves — Yea
Haler — Yea
Harmsworth — Yea
Hayes — Yea
Nealey — Yea
Pettigrew — Yea
Pike — Yea
Rodne — Yea
Sawyer — Yea
Sells — Yea
Shea — Yea
Hargrove — Yea
Blake — Yea
Buys — Yea
Chandler — Yea
Chopp — Yea
Clibborn — Yea
Condotta — Yea
DeBolt — Yea
Hudgins — Yea
Irwin — Yea
Jenkin — Yea
Kagi — Yea
Kirby — Yea
Klippert — Yea
Kraft — Yea
Kretz — Yea
Kristiansen — Yea
Lytton — Yea
Manweller — Yea
Maycumber — Yea
McBride — Yea
McCaslin — Yea
McDonald — Yea
Morris — Yea
Mosbrucker — Yea
Muri — Yea
Pellicciotti — Yea
Smith — Yea
Stambaugh — Yea
Sullivan — Yea
Tarleton — Yea
Vick — Yea
Wilcox — Yea
Young — Yea
Johnson, J. — Yea
Van Werven — Yea
Beth Doglio Democrat Yea
Chris Kilduff Democrat Yea
Cindy Ryu Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Gerry Pollet Democrat Yea
Jake Fey Democrat Yea
Jamila Taylor Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Joe Fitzgibbon Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Kristine Reeves Democrat Yea
Larry Springer Democrat Yea
Laurie Jinkins Democrat Yea
Lillian Ortiz-Self Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Mia Gregerson Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Monica Jurado Stonier Democrat Yea
Nicole Macri Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Roger Goodman Democrat Yea
Sharon Tomiko Santos Democrat Yea
Sharon Wylie Democrat Yea
Shelley Kloba Democrat Yea
Steve Bergquist Democrat Yea
Steve Tharinger Democrat Yea
Strom Peterson Democrat Yea
Tana Senn Democrat Yea
Timm Ormsby Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Andrew Barkis Republican Yea
Carolyn Eslick Republican Yea
Dan Griffey Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Drew Stokesbary Republican Yea
Ed Orcutt Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
Joe Schmick Republican Yea
Mary Dye Republican Yea
Michelle Valdez Republican Yea
Mike Steele Republican Yea
Mike Volz Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Tom Dent Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights labor
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 2778?
HB 2778 is sponsored by Michelle Valdez (Republican), Joe Fitzgibbon (Democrat), Mia Gregerson (Democrat), Laurie Jinkins (Democrat), Steve Bergquist (Democrat), Beth Doglio (Democrat), Dolan, Jake Fey (Democrat), Noel Frame (Democrat), Haler, Shelley Kloba (Democrat), Kraft, Nicole Macri (Democrat), McBride, Gerry Pollet (Democrat), Kristine Reeves (Democrat), Marcus Riccelli (Democrat), Clibborn, Drew Hansen (Democrat), Tina Orwall (Democrat), Robinson, Sharon Tomiko Santos (Democrat), Sawyer, Stambaugh, Derek Stanford (Democrat), Tarleton, Steve Tharinger (Democrat), Javier Valdez (Democrat), Sharon Wylie (Democrat), Monica Jurado Stonier (Democrat), Chris Kilduff (Democrat), and Tana Senn (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 2778?
This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 2778?
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