“Access” refers to rights granted to agencies to view town data.

“Category 1” refers to “public information” defined as information that can be or currently is released to the public. It does not need protection from unauthorized disclosure but does need integrity and availability protection controls.

“Category 2” refers to “sensitive information” defined as information that may not be specifically protected from disclosure by law and is for official use only. Sensitive information is generally not released to the public unless specifically requested.

“Category 3” refers to “confidential information” defined as information that is specifically protected from disclosure by law. It may include but is not limited to: personally identifiable information, regardless of how that information is obtained; information concerning employee personnel records; and/or information regarding I.T. infrastructure and security of computer and telecommunications systems.

“Category 4” refers to “confidential information requiring special handling” defined as information requiring special handling that is specifically protected from disclosure by law and for which: especially strict handling requirements are dictated such as by statutes, regulations, or agreements; and serious consequences could arise from unauthorized disclosure, such as threats to health and safety, or legal sanctions.

“Data” refers to any form of electronic documents or files created, stored or transmitted by the town.

“Employment information” means information defined in RCW 42.56.250.

“Encryption” refers to encrypting data in a manner that meets or exceeds the National Institute of Standards and Technology standard or is otherwise modified so that the restricted information is rendered unreadable, unusable, or undecipherable by an unauthorized person.

“Information technology” means information defined in RCW 42.56.420.

“I.T.” refers to the town’s contracted information technology provider who establishes and maintains the TOC network and security and establishes approved methods of transmission and encryption of restricted data.

“Personal information” means information defined in RCW 42.56.590(10) and 19.255.010.

“PIO” refers to the town’s public information office who normally has direct and/or unrestricted access to restricted information stored by the town.

“Redact” refers to censoring or obscuring any information defined under “restricted information” so that the information is rendered unreadable, prior to transmission.

“Restricted information” shall mean and include any information defined under “Category 3,” “Category 4,” “confidential information,” “personal information,” “employment information,” or “information technology”.

“Storage” refers to the place data is in when at rest.

“TOC network” refers to the town’s information technology systems, networks, applications and/or devices, and any other critical core infrastructure, including servers and/or firewalls.

“Transmission” refers to the approved methods and technologies to be used to move a copy of the data between systems, networks and/or workstations to provide agencies access to data. (Res. 413 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021)