Washington lawmakers have introduced HB 2333, a bill that dramatically expands confidentiality, redaction authority, and publicly funded security benefits for elected officials, candidates, election workers, and a broad category of “criminal justice participants.” Supporters frame it as a safety measure. The real‑world effect: HB 2333 shields government officials from public scrutiny while weakening the transparency tools citizens rely on to hold them accountable.

Over the past several years, Washingtonians have used public records, campaign disclosures, and voter information to monitor government actions and expose misconduct. That level of visibility has proven politically inconvenient for those in power and HB 2333 appears to be the response.

What HB 2333 Does

HB 2333 is not a narrow security bill, rather it is a sweeping restructuring of how much information the public is allowed to access about the people who govern them.

1. Expands who can hide their home address

The bill allows elected officials, candidates, election workers, and a broad category of “criminal justice participants” — a term that includes victims, witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, corrections staff, and anyone living with them — to remove their home address and parcel number from:

• Property records
• Auditor and assessor databases
• Maps and parcel listings
• Voter registration records
• Candidate filings
• PDC campaign finance reports
• Financial affairs statements

This is not a small group. It is tens of thousands of people.

2. Creates new Public Records Act exemptions

HB 2333 adds new carve‑outs shielding:

• Home addresses
• Parcel numbers
• Security system footage
• Legislator reimbursement documents
• Voter registration information for protected individuals

These exemptions significantly reduce what the public can see.

3. Allows public and campaign funds to pay for personal security

Legislators and candidates may use:

• Surplus campaign funds
• Campaign accounts
• Legislative business expense accounts
• A new “Legislative Member Security Account”

to purchase home security systems, cybersecurity services, fencing, cameras, and more.

4. Expands harassment statutes

The bill adds elected officials and election workers to felony harassment protections and makes them eligible for the Address Confidentiality Program.

5. Requires cross‑agency redaction

Once an official requests redaction, multiple state and county agencies must remove their address, creating a multilayered shield around public information.

Implications for Transparency and Public Oversight

Washington’s Public Records Act and campaign disclosure laws exist because transparency is the foundation of accountability. When citizens can see how officials live, vote, spend, and operate, they can identify conflicts of interest, corruption, and misuse of power.

HB 2333 moves in the opposite direction.

A growing pattern

When government actors face criticism or public scrutiny, the political response is increasingly not openness, but insulation. HB 2333 continues this trend by:

• Expanding secrecy
• Reducing public visibility
• Increasing taxpayer‑funded protections
• Shielding officials from the same transparency standards citizens must follow

A bill that treats transparency as a threat

HB 2333 does not distinguish between legitimate safety concerns and the public’s right to know. Instead, it treats public access itself as the problem.

The bill’s scope is so broad that it sweeps in nearly anyone connected to the criminal justice system — not because they are under threat, but because the Legislature has chosen to redefine who deserves secrecy.

A solution in search of a problem

Washington already has:

• Harassment laws
• Stalking laws
• Address Confidentiality Program protections
• PRA exemptions for sensitive information
• Criminal penalties for doxxing and threats

HB 2333 does not identify a failure in these existing safeguards. Instead, it layers new restrictions on top of them, limiting what citizens can see while expanding what government can hide.

How HB 2333 Fits Into the Bigger Picture

HB 2333 is not moving in isolation.

In recent sessions, lawmakers have advanced multiple bills that:

• Reduce public access to records
• Expand exemptions to the PRA
• Increase government discretion over what information is released
• Shield officials from public accountability mechanisms

HB 2333 is part of this broader shift — one that prioritizes government comfort over citizen oversight.

Bottom Line

HB 2333 is not about protecting democracy. It is about protecting government officials from democratic oversight.

By expanding secrecy, restricting access to public information, and allowing taxpayer and campaign funds to subsidize personal security, HB 2333 weakens the transparency tools Washingtonians depend on to hold their leaders accountable.

Citizens should be deeply wary any time the government decides it needs more secrecy and fewer checks from the people it serves.

CLW opposes HB 2333. We will be tracking this bill throughout the session and will alert you when you can take action. You can track the bill yourself here: HB 2333 Washington State Legislature