# RCW 42.56.010: RCW 42.56.010: Definitions > Washington · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S010 ## Section - **Citation:** RCW 42.56.010 - **Heading:** RCW 42.56.010: Definitions - **Jurisdiction:** Washington - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Washington Code / Title 42 / Chapter 56 / Section 010 ## Text The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Agency" includes all state agencies and all local agencies. "State agency" includes every state office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other state agency. "Local agency" includes every county, city, town, municipal corporation, quasi-municipal corporation, or special purpose district, or any office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency thereof, or other local public agency. "Agency" does not include a comprehensive cancer center participating in a collaborative arrangement as defined in RCW 28B.10.930 that is operated in conformance with RCW 28B.10.930 . (2) "Person in interest" means the person who is the subject of a record or any representative designated by that person, except that if that person is under a legal disability, "person in interest" means and includes the parent or duly appointed legal representative. (3) "Public record" includes any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. For the office of the secretary of the senate and the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives, public records means legislative records as defined in RCW 40.14.100 and also means the following: All budget and financial records; personnel leave, travel, and payroll records; records of legislative sessions; reports submitted to the legislature; and any other record designated a public record by any official action of the senate or the house of representatives. This definition does not include records that are not otherwise required to be retained by the agency and are held by volunteers who: (a) Do not serve in an administrative capacity; (b) Have not been appointed by the agency to an agency board, commission, or internship; and (c) Do not have a supervisory role or delegated agency authority. (4) "Writing" means handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostating, photographing, and every other means of recording any form of communication or representation including, but not limited to, letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combination thereof, and all papers, maps, magnetic or paper tapes, photographic films and prints, motion picture, film and video recordings, magnetic or punched cards, discs, drums, diskettes, sound recordings, and other documents including existing data compilations from which information may be obtained or translated. ## Nearby sections - [RCW 42.56.001 RCW 42.56.001: Finding, purpose.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S001.md) - [RCW 42.56.010 RCW 42.56.010: Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S010.md) - [RCW 42.56.020 RCW 42.56.020: Short title.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S020.md) - [RCW 42.56.030 RCW 42.56.030: Construction.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S030.md) - [RCW 42.56.040 RCW 42.56.040: Duty to publish procedures.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S040.md) - [RCW 42.56.050 RCW 42.56.050: Invasion of privacy, when.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S050.md) - [RCW 42.56.060 RCW 42.56.060: Disclaimer of public liability.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S060.md) - [RCW 42.56.070 RCW 42.56.070: Documents and indexes to be made public—Statement of costs.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S070.md) - [RCW 42.56.080 RCW 42.56.080: Identifiable records—Facilities for copying—Availability of public records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S080.md) - [RCW 42.56.090 RCW 42.56.090: Times for inspection and copying—Posting on website.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S090.md) - [RCW 42.56.100 RCW 42.56.100: Protection of public records—Public access.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S100.md) - [RCW 42.56.110 RCW 42.56.110: Destruction of information relating to employee misconduct.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S110.md) - [RCW 42.56.120 RCW 42.56.120: Charges for copying.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S120.md) - [RCW 42.56.130 RCW 42.56.130: Other provisions not superseded.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S130.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T42_C56_S010. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.