From NWCN.com:
In the state of Washington if a citizen requests a public record, it should be turned over unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. That's the law. But investigators from KREM 2's Seattle affiliate, KING 5, have found more people than ever are accusing the state of breaking that law and it's costing taxpayers millions.
By analyzing 2,500 legal records obtained through the Public Records Act, KING found payouts for public records lawsuits ballooned from $108,000 in 2006 to nearly $1.7 million last year — $4.8 million dollars total since 2006 for alleged violations of the Public Records Act.