Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 42.56 - Public Records Act.
42.56.270 - Financial, commercial, and proprietary information.

RCW 42.56.270
Financial, commercial, and proprietary information.

The following financial, commercial, and proprietary information is exempt from disclosure under this chapter:
(1) Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, computer source code or object code, and research data obtained by any agency within five years of the request for disclosure when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss;
(2) Financial information supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, or corporation for the purpose of qualifying to submit a bid or proposal for (a) a ferry system construction or repair contract as required by RCW 47.60.680 through 47.60.750; (b) highway construction or improvement as required by RCW 47.28.070; or (c) alternative public works contracting procedures as required by RCW 39.10.200 through 39.10.905;
(3) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by private persons pertaining to export services provided under chapters 43.163 and 53.31 RCW, and by persons pertaining to export projects under RCW 43.23.035;
(4) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by businesses or individuals during application for loans or program services provided by chapters 43.325, 43.163, 43.160, 43.330, and 43.168 RCW and RCW 43.155.160, or during application for economic development loans or program services provided by any local agency;
(5) Financial information, business plans, examination reports, and any information produced or obtained in evaluating or examining a business and industrial development corporation organized or seeking certification under chapter 31.24 RCW;
(6) Financial and commercial information supplied to the state investment board by any person when the information relates to the investment of public trust or retirement funds and when disclosure would result in loss to such funds or in private loss to the providers of this information;
(7) Financial and valuable trade information under RCW 51.36.120;
(8) Financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by the clean Washington center in applications for, or delivery of, program services under *chapter 70.95H RCW;
(9) Financial and commercial information requested by the public stadium authority from any person or organization that leases or uses the stadium and exhibition center as defined in RCW 36.102.010;
(10)(a) Financial information, including but not limited to account numbers and values, and other identification numbers supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other entity related to an application for a horse racing license submitted pursuant to RCW 67.16.260(1)(b), cannabis producer, processor, or retailer license, liquor license, gambling license, or lottery retail license;
(b) Internal control documents, independent auditors' reports and financial statements, and supporting documents: (i) Of house-banked social card game licensees required by the gambling commission pursuant to rules adopted under chapter 9.46 RCW; or (ii) submitted by tribes with an approved tribal/state compact for class III gaming;
(c) Valuable formulae or financial or proprietary commercial information records received during a consultative visit or while providing consultative services to a licensed cannabis business in accordance with RCW 69.50.561;
(11) Proprietary data, trade secrets, or other information that relates to: (a) A vendor's unique methods of conducting business; (b) data unique to the product or services of the vendor; or (c) determining prices or rates to be charged for services, submitted by any vendor to the department of social and health services or the health care authority for purposes of the development, acquisition, or implementation of state purchased health care as defined in RCW 41.05.011;
(12)(a) When supplied to and in the records of the department of commerce:
(i) Financial and proprietary information collected from any person and provided to the department of commerce pursuant to RCW 43.330.050(8);
(ii) Financial or proprietary information collected from any person and provided to the department of commerce or the office of the governor in connection with the siting, recruitment, expansion, retention, or relocation of that person's business and until a siting decision is made, identifying information of any person supplying information under this subsection and the locations being considered for siting, relocation, or expansion of a business; and
(iii) Financial or proprietary information collected from any person and provided to the department of commerce pursuant to RCW 43.31.625 (3)(b) and (4);
(b) When developed by the department of commerce based on information as described in (a)(i) of this subsection, any work product is not exempt from disclosure;
(c) For the purposes of this subsection, "siting decision" means the decision to acquire or not to acquire a site;
(d) If there is no written contact for a period of sixty days to the department of commerce from a person connected with siting, recruitment, expansion, retention, or relocation of that person's business, information described in (a)(ii) of this subsection will be available to the public under this chapter;
(13) Financial and proprietary information submitted to or obtained by the department of ecology or the authority created under chapter 70A.500 RCW to implement chapter 70A.500 RCW;
(14) Financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by the life sciences discovery fund authority in applications for, or delivery of, grants under RCW 43.330.502, to the extent that such information, if revealed, would reasonably be expected to result in private loss to the providers of this information;
(15) Financial and commercial information provided as evidence to the department of licensing as required by RCW 19.112.110 or 19.112.120, except information disclosed in aggregate form that does not permit the identification of information related to individual fuel licensees;
(16) Any production records, mineral assessments, and trade secrets submitted by a permit holder, mine operator, or landowner to the department of natural resources under RCW 78.44.085;
(17)(a) Farm plans developed by conservation districts, unless permission to release the farm plan is granted by the landowner or operator who requested the plan, or the farm plan is used for the application or issuance of a permit;
(b) Farm plans developed under chapter 90.48 RCW and not under the federal clean water act, 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq., are subject to RCW 42.56.610 and 90.64.190;
(18) Financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by a health sciences and services authority in applications for, or delivery of, grants under RCW 35.104.010 through 35.104.060, to the extent that such information, if revealed, would reasonably be expected to result in private loss to providers of this information;
(19) Information gathered under chapter 19.85 RCW or RCW 34.05.328 that can be identified to a particular business;
(20) Financial and commercial information submitted to or obtained by the University of Washington, other than information the university is required to disclose under RCW 28B.20.150, when the information relates to investments in private funds, to the extent that such information, if revealed, would reasonably be expected to result in loss to the University of Washington consolidated endowment fund or to result in private loss to the providers of this information;
(21) Market share data submitted by a manufacturer under RCW 70A.500.190(4);
(22) Financial information supplied to the department of financial institutions, when filed by or on behalf of an issuer of securities for the purpose of obtaining the exemption from state securities registration for small securities offerings provided under RCW 21.20.880 or when filed by or on behalf of an investor for the purpose of purchasing such securities;
(23) Unaggregated or individual notices of a transfer of crude oil that is financial, proprietary, or commercial information, submitted to the department of ecology pursuant to RCW 90.56.565(1)(a), and that is in the possession of the department of ecology or any entity with which the department of ecology has shared the notice pursuant to RCW 90.56.565;
(24) Financial institution and retirement account information, and building security plan information, supplied to the liquor and cannabis board pursuant to RCW 69.50.325, 69.50.331, 69.50.342, and 69.50.345, when filed by or on behalf of a licensee or prospective licensee for the purpose of obtaining, maintaining, or renewing a license to produce, process, transport, or sell cannabis as allowed under chapter 69.50 RCW;
(25) Cannabis transport information, vehicle and driver identification data, and account numbers or unique access identifiers issued to private entities for traceability system access, submitted by an individual or business to the liquor and cannabis board under the requirements of RCW 69.50.325, 69.50.331, 69.50.342, and 69.50.345 for the purpose of cannabis product traceability. Disclosure to local, state, and federal officials is not considered public disclosure for purposes of this section;
(26) Financial and commercial information submitted to or obtained by the retirement board of any city that is responsible for the management of an employees' retirement system pursuant to the authority of chapter 35.39 RCW, when the information relates to investments in private funds, to the extent that such information, if revealed, would reasonably be expected to result in loss to the retirement fund or to result in private loss to the providers of this information except that (a) the names and commitment amounts of the private funds in which retirement funds are invested and (b) the aggregate quarterly performance results for a retirement fund's portfolio of investments in such funds are subject to disclosure;
(27) Proprietary financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by the liquor and cannabis board in applications for cannabis research licenses under RCW 69.50.372, or in reports submitted by cannabis research licensees in accordance with rules adopted by the liquor and cannabis board under RCW 69.50.372;
(28) Trade secrets, technology, proprietary information, and financial considerations contained in any agreements or contracts, entered into by a licensed cannabis business under RCW 69.50.395, which may be submitted to or obtained by the state liquor and cannabis board;
(29) Financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by the Andy Hill cancer research endowment program in applications for, or delivery of, grants under chapter 43.348 RCW, to the extent that such information, if revealed, would reasonably be expected to result in private loss to providers of this information;
(30) Proprietary information filed with the department of health under chapter 69.48 RCW;
(31) Records filed with the department of ecology under chapter 70A.515 RCW that a court has determined are confidential valuable commercial information under RCW 70A.515.130; and
(32) Unaggregated financial, proprietary, or commercial information submitted to or obtained by the liquor and cannabis board in applications for licenses under RCW 66.24.140 or 66.24.145, or in any reports or remittances submitted by a person licensed under RCW 66.24.140 or 66.24.145 under rules adopted by the liquor and cannabis board under chapter 66.08 RCW.

[ 2022 c 201 § 2; 2022 c 16 § 28; 2021 c 308 § 4; 2020 c 238 § 11. Prior: 2019 c 394 § 10; 2019 c 344 § 14; 2019 c 212 § 12; prior: 2018 c 201 § 8008; 2018 c 196 § 21; 2018 c 4 § 9; 2017 c 317 § 17; prior: 2016 sp.s. c 9 § 3; 2016 sp.s. c 8 § 1; 2016 c 178 § 1; 2015 c 274 § 24; prior: 2014 c 192 § 6; 2014 c 174 § 5; 2014 c 144 § 6; 2013 c 305 § 14; 2011 1st sp.s. c 14 § 15; 2009 c 394 § 3; 2008 c 306 § 1; prior: 2007 c 470 § 2; (2007 c 470 § 1 expired June 30, 2008); 2007 c 251 § 13; (2007 c 251 § 12 expired June 30, 2008); 2007 c 197 § 4; (2007 c 197 § 3 expired June 30, 2008); prior: 2006 c 369 § 2; 2006 c 341 § 6; 2006 c 338 § 5; 2006 c 302 § 12; 2006 c 209 § 7; 2006 c 183 § 37; 2006 c 171 § 8; 2005 c 274 § 407.]
NOTES:

Reviser's note: *(1) Chapter 70.95H RCW was repealed in its entirety by 2017 3rd sp.s. c 25 § 9.
(2) This section was amended by 2022 c 16 § 28 and by 2022 c 201 § 2, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).


Intent—Finding—2022 c 16: See note following RCW 69.50.101.


Findings—Intent—2021 c 308: See note following RCW 43.31.625.


Findings—2019 c 394: See note following RCW 69.50.563.


Findings—Intent—Effective date—2018 c 201: See notes following RCW 41.05.018.


Findings—Application—2017 c 317: See notes following RCW 69.50.325.


Effective date—2015 c 274: See note following RCW 90.56.005.


Intent—2014 c 174: See note following RCW 28B.50.902.


Short title—Findings—Intent—2014 c 144: See notes following RCW 21.20.880.


Effective date—2013 c 305: See note following RCW 70A.500.020.


Intent—2009 c 394: See note following RCW 28B.20.150.


Effective date—2008 c 306 § 1: "Section 1 of this act takes effect June 30, 2008." [ 2008 c 306 § 2.]


Effective date—2007 c 470 § 2: "Section 2 of this act takes effect June 30, 2008." [ 2007 c 470 § 4.]


Expiration date—2007 c 470 § 1: "Section 1 of this act expires June 30, 2008." [ 2007 c 470 § 3.]


Effective date—2007 c 251 § 13: "Section 13 of this act takes effect June 30, 2008." [ 2007 c 251 § 18.]


Expiration date—2007 c 251 § 12: "Section 12 of this act expires June 30, 2008." [ 2007 c 251 § 17.]


Captions not law—Severability—2007 c 251: See notes following RCW 35.104.010.


Effective date—2007 c 197 § 4: "Section 4 of this act takes effect June 30, 2008." [ 2007 c 197 § 11.]


Expiration date—2007 c 197 § 3: "Section 3 of this act expires June 30, 2008." [ 2007 c 197 § 10.]


Effective date—2006 c 369 § 2: "Section 2 of this act takes effect July 1, 2006." [ 2006 c 369 § 3.]


Effective date—2006 c 341 § 6: "Section 6 of this act takes effect July 1, 2006." [ 2006 c 341 § 7.]


Findings—Intent—2006 c 338: See note following RCW 19.112.110.


Effective date—2006 c 338: See RCW 19.112.903.


Effective date—2006 c 302 §§ 10 and 12: See note following RCW 66.28.180.


Construction—Severability—Effective date—2006 c 183: See RCW 70A.500.900 and 70A.500.901.


Effective date—2006 c 171 §§ 8 and 10: "Sections 8 and 10 of this act take effect July 1, 2006." [ 2006 c 171 § 13.]

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