House unanimously passes Rep. Stambaugh’s bill to better protect the privacy of children
A bill that would protect the identities of children who have been victims of misconduct while enrolled in child care programs was approved 98-0 today in the Washington State House of Representatives.
While protection of personal information for children was passed into law five years ago, the names of family members were not included in that law. As a result, one could potentially gain access to a child's information through a request for information about their guardians or family members.
House Bill 1554, which was introduced by Rep. Melanie Stambaugh, R-Puyallup, closes this loophole by exempting the personal information of a victim's guardians or family members from public record.
“Protecting the privacy of our children is very important,” said Stambaugh. “House Bill 1554 offers an essential fix to the law, and I am glad it was approved by the House.”
The proposal was approved unanimously in the House State Government Committee, Feb. 19. With today's House approval, the bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration. The 2015 session is scheduled to adjourn April 26.