For the Reporter

The Washington Coalition for Open Government will present its 2014 Ballard/Thompson Award to Senate Majority Floor Leader Joe Fain (R-Auburn, 47th District) on Jan. 26 in Olympia.

The award honors a state legislator who demonstrated outstanding dedication to the cause of open government during the previous legislative session.

The coalition is honoring Fain for being the prime sponsor of ESB 5964, which mandates that most elected officials (except legislators) and public records officers are to receive training at least every four years on records retention, disclosure and public meetings.

Fain was able to guide the bill through the legislative process, where it was passed and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee.

The award is named in recognition of former Speaker of the House Clyde Ballard and former Chief Clerk of the House and Senator Alan Thompson. Ballard, a Republican, and Thompson, a Democrat, were champions of open government in the legislature, as well as founding directors of Washington Coalition for Open Government.

The coalition also will hold its first WCOG Legislative Day in Olympia that day. WCOG members and members of the general public will gather at 9 a.m. in the Washington Room of the Pritchard Building on the capitol campus in Olympia for coffee and pastries, copies of WCOG’s 2015 Legislative Priorities, and pep talks by legislative experts. At 10 a.m., they will fan out to meet legislators to promote government transparency, accountability and accessibility in Washington.

For more information, visit www.washingtoncog.org or call 206-782-0393.