Panel backs expanding address-confidentiality protections to administrative law judges

House Bill 24-19 would expand eligibility for Washington's Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) to include administrative law judges appointed by the chief administrative law judge and employees of the Office of Administrative Hearings.

OPR staff explained the program permits eligible persons to use a separate public address to protect their actual address from public records when safety concerns arise. Witnesses from the Office of Administrative Hearings and the Washington Association of County Officials described recent credible threats and temporary security measures, arguing ALJs and OAH staff face the same risks as judicial officers and should receive parity under ACP.

Catherine Cornwall, clerk for King County Superior Court, asked the committee to consider amending the bill to include county clerks, citing examples where clerks faced threats tied to eviction and family-law cases and a clerk who had to relocate temporarily because of a credible threat. OAH presenters asked for the extension to protect staff who routinely handle high-emotion cases that can generate threats.

The committee concluded testimony on HB 24-19 with no amendment votes during the hearing and moved toward executive session for further consideration of other bills.