Washington state laws stipulate that records revealing municipal actions such as court documents, police arrest records, marriage certificates, traffic infractions and more are open and available for the public, largely because of the Washington's 1973 Public Records Act. All relevant information on the various happenings of law enforcement officials, city and county courts, and local government are found in these records, and are presumed public unless officially redacted. People of Bellingham have the ability to better recognize their rights because of these laws, and the transparency available from the release of these records helps to keep both criminals and legislators culpable with regard to their actions, in turn leading to a more open and free society for everybody.