No: 71425-2 COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION I ANNE BLOCK, Appellant, CITY OF GOLD BAR, Respondent. MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF BY WASHINGTON COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT, WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION, AND ALLIED DAILY NEWSPAPERS OF WASHINGTON Emily K. Ameson, WSBA #42749 WITHERSPOON « KELLEY 422 West Riverside, Suite 1100 Spokane, WA 99201 ‘Telephone: (509) 624-5265 Facsimile: (509) 458-2728 eka@witherspoonkelley.com ‘Counsel for Washington Coalition for Open Government, Washington ‘Newspaper Publishers Association, and Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington1 —_- RELIEF REQUESTED Pursuant to RAP 10.6, the Washington Coalition for Open Government ("WCOG"), Allied Daily Newspapers Association ("ADNW"), and Washington Newspaper Publishers Association 'WNPA") respectfully move to file a brief as amicus curiae in support of Appellant Anne Block. The proposed brief is filed with this Motion. I IDENTITY OF AMICI A. Washington Coalition for Open Government WCOG is an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting and defending the public's right to know about the conduct of public business and matters of public interest. WCOG represents the interests of individuals and organizations concemed with preserving and protecting Washington's laws promoting transparent and open government, including the Public Records Act ("PRA") and the Open Public Meetings Act ("OPMA"). Its members are frequent users of the PRA, on which they rely to inform the public and keep the government accountable to the governed. WCOG's mission is to foster the comerstone of democracy: open government, supervised by an engaged and informed citizenry. To that end, WCOG conducts public workshops and forums around the state, involving the public, public officials, and the media in discussing government accessiB. Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington, Inc. is a Washington not- for-profit trade association representing 23 daily newspapers serving Washington and the Washington bureaus of the Associated Press. C. Washington Newspaper Publishers Association ‘The Washington Newspaper Publishers Association is a for-profit association representing 107 community newspapers in Washington. With the exception of three daily newspapers and eight monthly newspapers, WNPA’s member newspapers are weekly or semi-weekly newspapers, ‘most serving rural or suburban communities. II. INTEREST OF AMICI ‘This case was brought under the Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW. The instant appeal deals with the interpretation of the PRA, and specifically an agency's burden in arguing for nondisclosure of public records and potential disparate treatment of requesters. This Cours decision will directly impact the Amici, who are frequent users of the PRA. to inform their readers and constituents. Amici have a legitimate interest in assuring the Court is adequately informed about the issues and the impact, its decision will have on all record requesters, not only the individual whose record requests are currently at issue before the Court.