Senate OKs anti-terrorism bill

THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Thursday, March 14, 2002

The Senate sent Gov. Gary Locke a bill Wednesday that will allow greater government secrecy to keep certain information out of the hands of would-be terrorists.

Senate Bill 6439 ensures that sensitive intelligence about suspected terrorism investigations can be shared by federal authorities with state and local police without fear that the information will become public.

It also exempts some computer data and codes from disclosure as well as anti-terrorism response plans. Other aspects of the measure will keep vulnerability assessments of bridges and other public structures from being released.

Language in the bill was a compromise between newspaper publishers, open-government advocates and Attorney General Christine Gregoire.

Locke is expected to sign the bill.

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