Child care providers/PRA

AN ACT Relating to expanding the public records exemption for 1
personal information of family home child care providers to all 2
licensed or certified child care providers; amending RCW 42.56.640; 3
adding a new section to chapter 42.56 RCW; adding a new section to 4
chapter 43.216 RCW; and creating a new section. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that child care 7
providers care for and serve some of Washington's most vulnerable 8
populations. Existing privacy protections under RCW 42.56.640 apply 9
only to licensed family home child care providers because their 10
business operates within their private residence. However, the 11
legislature further finds that child care providers working in 12
licensed centers and other nonresidential care settings also face 13
safety risks, harassment, doxxing, and targeted retaliation when 14
their home addresses, personal phone numbers, photographs, and other 15
identifying information are released publicly.16
The legislature intends to extend the public records act privacy 17
protections currently provided to licensed family home child care 18
providers to all licensed child care providers, regardless of 19
setting, to ensure that individuals who care for young children are 20
S-3616.2
SENATE BILL 5926
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Wellman, Nobles, and C. Wilson
Prefiled 12/22/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.
p. 1 SB 5926
protected from harm, intimidation, and threats to their personal 1
safety. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 42.56 3
RCW to read as follows: 4
(1) The following personal information of any individual or 5
entity licensed or certified by the department of children, youth, 6
and families to provide child care is exempt from disclosure under 7
this chapter: 8
(a) Names; 9
(b) Home address; 10
(c) Global positioning system (GPS) coordinates;11
(d) Personal telephone number; 12
(e) Personal email address; 13
(f) Date of birth; 14
(g) Social security number or taxpayer identification number;15
(h) Driver's license number; 16
(i) Personal bank account or direct deposit information;17
(j) Emergency contact information; 18
(k) Any photograph of the individual that is not publicly 19
distributed by the provider; and 20
(l) Any other personally identifying information.21
(2) This exemption applies to all individuals providing child 22
care: 23
(a) In a licensed or certified family home provider as defined in 24
RCW 43.216.010; 25
(b) In a licensed or certified child care center as defined in 26
RCW 43.216.010; 27
(c) In a school-age or out-of-school-time care setting; and28
(d) In any other location licensed or certified by the department 29
of children, youth, and families to provide child care.30
(3) Nothing in this section restricts the disclosure of business 31
addresses, program capacity, licensing status, inspection results, or 32
public safety findings required by state or federal law.33
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.216 34
RCW to read as follows: 35
The department shall update privacy guidance, licensing 36
communication materials, and mandatory reporter training documents to 37
reflect the protections in section 2 of this act. 38
p. 2 SB 5926
Sec. 4. RCW 42.56.640 and 2017 c 4 s 8 are each amended to read 1
as follows: 2
(1) Sensitive personal information of vulnerable individuals and 3
sensitive personal information of in-home caregivers for vulnerable 4
populations is exempt from inspection and copying under this chapter.5
(2) The following definitions apply to this section:6
(a) "In-home caregivers for vulnerable populations" means: (i) 7
Individual providers as defined in RCW 74.39A.240((,)); and (ii) home 8
care aides as defined in RCW 18.88B.010((, and (iii) family child 9
care providers as defined in RCW 41.56.030)). 10
(b) "Sensitive personal information" means names, addresses, 11
((GPS [global positioning system] )) global positioning system 12
coordinates, telephone numbers, email addresses, social security 13
numbers, driver's license numbers, or other personally identifying 14
information. 15
(c) "Vulnerable individual" has the meaning set forth in RCW 16
9.35.005. 17
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p. 3 SB 5926