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How the Public Disclosure Commission evaluates requests to withhold residential addresses
Summary
Commission staff and commissioners weigh petitioners' safety claims against statutory standards (RCW 42.17A.120) and alternatives in WAC 390; the commission may grant exemptions when the evidence shows a reasonable personal risk, and staff prepares the formal order to effect any redaction.
Under state law and the commission's rules, petitioners may ask to limit public disclosure of residential addresses on personal financial affairs (F-1) statements. At the hearing Jennifer Hansen explained the authority: "So the commission has the authority to grant modifications or, to any section of their law. So 42 17 a or, their WAC 3 90," and staff cited RCW 42.17A.120 along with WAC 390-24-200 and WAC 390-28-080 when describing alternatives and exemptions.
In practice, the commission asks petitioners to show a factual basis that disclosing the address would present a personal risk to a reasonable person. Petitioners frequently cite prior assaults, threats or harassment; staff evaluates whether a legal description on the F-1 would still allow someone to correlate the filing to a street address (for example, through county auditor deed searches). If the commission finds the statutory threshold is met it may grant an exemption or a conditional modification; staff then drafts an order outlining the terms (for example, permitting a filing that lists only county residence or requiring a full legal name).
