SB 5892

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
  SENATE BILL 5892
  Chapter 213, Laws of 2026
  69th Legislature
  2026 Regular Session
  VOTER REGISTRATION—CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
  EFFECTIVE DATE: March 25, 2026
Passed by the Senate March 9, 2026  CERTIFICATE
  Yeas 30 Nays 19
  I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
  the   Senate   of  the   State   of
  DENNY HECK  Washington, do hereby certify that
President of the Senate  the attached is SENATE BILL 5892 as
  passed by the Senate and the House
  of Representatives on the dates
  hereon set forth.
Passed by the House February 28, 2026
  Yeas 57 Nays 36
  SARAH BANNISTER
  LAURIE JINKINS  Secretary
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
Approved March 25, 2026 11:09 AM  FILED
  March 25, 2026
  Secretary of State
  BOB FERGUSON  State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
  SENATE BILL 5892
  AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
  Passed Legislature - 2026 Regular Session
State of Washington  69th Legislature        2026 Regular Session
By Senators Riccelli, Valdez, Bateman, Frame, Hasegawa, Liias,
Nobles, Pedersen, Slatter, and C. Wilson; by request of Secretary of
State
Prefiled 12/16/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.
1     AN ACT Relating to protecting the voter registration database;
2 amending RCW 42.56.425 and 29A.84.150; prescribing penalties; and
3 declaring an emergency.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5     Sec. 1.   RCW 42.56.425 and 2023 c 404 s 4 are each amended to
6 read as follows:
7     (1) The following information related to election security is
8 exempt from disclosure under this chapter:
9     (a) The continuity of operations plan for election operations and
10 any security audits, security risk assessments, or security test
11 results, relating to physical security or cybersecurity of election
12 operations   or  infrastructure.   These    records   are   exempt   from
13 disclosure in their entirety;
14     (b) Those portions of records, manuals, or documentation
15 containing technical details and information regarding election
16 infrastructure, which include the systems, software, and networks
17 that support the election process, the public disclosure of which may
18 increase   risk  to   the   integrity    of    election   operations   or
19 infrastructure;
20     (c)   Voter  signatures   on  ballot     return   envelopes,   ballot
21 declarations, and signature correction forms, including the original
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1 documents, copies, and electronic images; and a voter's phone number
2 and email address contained on ballot return envelopes, ballot
3 declarations, or signature correction forms. The secretary of state,
4 by rule, may authorize in-person inspection of unredacted ballot
5 return envelopes, ballot declarations, and signature correction forms
6 in accordance with RCW 29A.04.260;
7     (d) Records regarding the infrastructure of a private entity
8 submitted to elections officials are exempt from disclosure for a
9 period of 25 years after the creation of the record when accompanied
10 by an express statement that the record contains information about
11 the private entity's infrastructure and public disclosure may
12 increase   risk  to   the   integrity  of   election  operations   or
13 infrastructure; and
14     (e) Voted ballots, voted ballot images, copies of voted ballots,
15 photographs of voted ballots, facsimile images of voted ballots, or
16 cast vote records of voted ballots, starting at the time of ballot
17 return from the voter, during storage per RCW 29A.60.110, and through
18 destruction following any retention period or litigation.
19     (2) The exemptions specified in subsection (1) of this section do
20 not include information or records pertaining to security breaches,
21 except as prohibited from disclosure under RCW 29A.12.200.
22     (3) The exemptions specified in subsection (1) of this section do
23 not prohibit an audit authorized or required under Title 29A RCW from
24 being conducted.
25     (4) Requests for records from or any existing reports generated
26 by the statewide voter registration database established under RCW
27 29A.08.105 must be submitted to and fulfilled by the secretary of
28 state. If a county elections office receives a request for records
29 from or any existing reports generated by the statewide voter
30 registration database established under RCW 29A.08.105, the county
31 elections office ((is)) shall not ((required to)) produce any records
32 in response to the request, but shall, by the deadline set forth in
33 RCW 42.56.520, direct the requestor to submit their request to the
34 secretary of state. A knowing violation of this subsection is a
35 violation of RCW 29A.84.150.
36     Sec. 2. RCW 29A.84.150 and 2004 c 267 s 138 are each amended to
37 read as follows:
38     (1) Any state or local election officer, or a designee, who has
39 access to any county or statewide voter registration database who
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1 knowingly uses, discloses, or alters information in the database
2 inconsistent with the performance of his or her duties is guilty of a
3 class C felony, punishable under RCW 9A.20.021.
4     (2)   The   Washington   driver's   license  number,   Washington
5 identification card number, social security number, and full
6 birthdate, shown on an affidavit of voter registration or included in
7 a voter registration file are confidential and shall not be disclosed
8 to any person except to state or local election officers and election
9 officials unless authorized by the office of the secretary of state.
10 Any state or local election officer, or designee, who knowingly
11 violates this subsection is guilty of a class C felony punishable
12 under RCW 9A.20.021.
13     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate
14 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of
15 the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes
16 effect immediately.
  Passed by the Senate March 9, 2026.
  Passed by the House February 28, 2026.
  Approved by the Governor March 25, 2026.
  Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 25, 2026.
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