Records, subject to chapter 42.56 RCW, filed with the commission or the attorney general from any person that contain valuable commercial information, including trade secrets or confidential marketing, cost, or financial information, or customer-specific usage information, are not subject to inspection or copying under chapter 42.56 RCW: (1) Until notice to the person or persons directly affected has been given; and (2) if, within ten days of the notice, the person has obtained a superior court order protecting the records as confidential. The court must determine that the records are confidential and not subject to inspection and copying if disclosure is likely to result in private loss, including an unfair competitive disadvantage, and is not necessary for further public review and comment on the appropriate allocation of costs and revenues. When providing information to the commission or the attorney general, a person shall designate which records or portions of records contain valuable commercial information. Nothing in this section prevents the use of protective orders by the commission governing disclosure of proprietary or confidential information in contested proceedings.
[ 2014 c 170 § 1.]