Reprinted from The StandOLYMPIA (Feb. 7, 2020) — Hundreds of delegates representing unions across the state gathered in Olympia on Thursday to learn about the status of legislation affecting working families and to rally on the State Capitol steps in support of a priority bill to protect the safety and privacy of Washington’s public employees.

The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO hosted its 2020 Legislative Lobbying Conference where President Larry Brown, Secretary Treasurer April Sims, and labor lobbyists updated delegates on some key bills’ status.

Later Thursday morning, conference delegates joined public employees at a rally on the State Capitol steps in support of HB 1888, which would update the Public Records Act to exempt public employees’ birth dates from disclosure. Rally speakers said HB 1888 is necessary to protect public employees and their families from identity theft, stalkers, and others who may want to target them at home.

“In 2020, if someone has your name and birth date, they can easily get your home address and other private information,” Sims (pictured above) said at the rally. “Other states have acknowledged their duty to protect public employees’ birth dates. Oregon and California, for example, include public employees’ birth dates among the information exempted from public disclosure. It’s time for Washington to protect its public employees’ safety and privacy as well, by passing HB 1888.”

Rally participants and WSLC conference attendees then fanned out across the Capitol to meet with their state legislators and urge passage of HB 1888 and other priority bills.