Seattle City Council passes late night lounge safety bill
The Brief
The Seattle City Council passed new safety regulations for late-night lounges after multiple recent shootings.
The bill requires after-hours clubs to be up-to-date on all city permits and licenses, maintain two security guards and have video surveillance.
SEATTLE - The Seattle City Council passed new safety regulations for late-night lounges in a 6-0 vote on Tuesday.
Council members said the legislation was a long time coming, after multiple shootings at after-hours clubs.
A recent shooting at Capri Bar in Rainier Valley left two men dead late last month, one of them a security guard. The bar closed after it was labeled a "nuisance property," according to the city attorney's office.
The backstory
Councilmember Bob Kettle, chair of the Public Safety Committee, stressed the need for the ordinance, saying it will close the gaps and bring more structure to businesses that are open late.
"The after-hours lounge legislation is an overdue measure to protect these businesses, their patrons, and the surrounding neighborhoods," said Councilmember Kettle. "I'm proud that we took a collaborative and strategic approach to developing these regulations."
The bill targets after-hours lounges that operate from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., and would require them to be up-to-date on all city permits and licenses, maintain two security guards and have video surveillance.
However, councilmembers said regardless of closure, the new rules are aimed at a long-term solution and will benefit the entire city.
"Ultimately, the violence needs to stop, and we believe these regulations are another crucial step towards fostering a safer environment for everyone in Seattle," said Councilmember Kettle.
Kettle says a first citation would be $1,000, and then $5,000 for each violation after that.
The bill will go into effect within 30 days, after it's signed by Mayor Bruce Harrell.
The Source
Information in this story is from the Seattle City Council and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
Seattle woman arrested for pit bull attacks: 'Let him do his thing'
FEMA denies $34M in funds for WA bomb cyclone relief, gives no explanation
WSDOT shuts down 103-year-old bridge in Pierce County, WA
Man accused in Seattle hate crime flips off cameras, storms out of courtroom
Elephants react to San Diego earthquake, swarm around young
Red Robin launching Bottomless Burger Pass for National Burger Month
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore to resign due to health, personal reasons
The Brief Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore will resign on July 7 due to health and personal reasons. Moore, representing District 5, sponsored controversial crime ordinances and secured funding for sidewalks and rental assistance. Details on filling Moore's vacancy will be announced soon. SEATTLE - Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore announced she is resigning due to health and personal reasons. Her last day will be July 7. Moore, who represents District 5 (North Seattle), has held her position since 2023 and says she's proud of what the council has been able to accomplish in the last year and a half. "My decision to leave the City Council is one I've been considering seriously over the past several months due to some recent health challenges. Ultimately, I believe that District 5 community members deserve a representative who can give their full attention to the critical issues facing the City and its neighborhoods," said Councilmember Moore. Two of the major ordinances sponsored by Moore were the SOAP [Stay out of Area of Prostitution] and SODA [Stay out of Drug Area] zones, aimed at cracking down on crime and prostitution along Aurora Avenue. While the SOAP and SODA ordinances both passed 8-1, Moore faced intense backlash over the legislation, with critics clashing with supporters at intense votes in September 2024. "I'm incredibly proud of the achievements of this Council and my team during the last year and a half. Having been elected to focus on improving public safety, and tackle housing and homelessness with a progressive framework, I believe we've made major strides in all these important areas," Moore said. Moore also highlighted new sidewalk funding acquired through the 2024 voter-approved Transportation Levy, millions of dollars secured for rental assistance, and strengthening protections for people seeking reproductive health care and gender-affirming treatment. "I want to wholeheartedly thank the residents of District 5 for their engagement and support during my time here. Serving on the Seattle City Council has truly been an honor for me, both personally and professionally," added Councilmember Moore. What's next Details on filling Moore's vacancy will be announced in the coming days. The city council has 20 days to fill a vacant position. The Source Information in this story came from a news release by the office of Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Wenatchee dad, 3 young girls unreachable, missing person alert activated 'Shut your legs' comment, rating female staff: Snoqualmie Police Chief fired after probe DOJ to announce drug trafficking arrests in Seattle Washington state named 'sanctuary jurisdiction' by Trump admin, 35 of 39 counties listed Motorcyclist speaks out after arrest made in Auburn, WA hit-and-run nearly 2 years ago WA beekeeper working to save millions of bees involved in crash in Whatcom County FBI scrutiny puts pressure on Seattle mayor after protest clash To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Socialist Kshama Sawant announces bid to defeat U.S. Rep. Adam Smith
Former socialist Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant announced Monday that she's running to unseat longtime U.S. Rep. Adam Smith. Smith, a Democrat, has represented Washington's 9th Congressional district for nearly three decades. The district stretches over portions of Seattle and Bellevue, as well as Seattle's southeast suburbs. Sawant served on Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2024. She left that role last year to launch Workers Strike Back, a national labor movement. In a Federal Election Commission document filed last week, Sawant is listed as an Independent. 'Most of the time, working people have no political representation under capitalism,' Sawant said Monday during a livestreamed news conference. 'Both the Democrats and Republicans serve the interests of the billionaires, and both are war-mongering parties down to their bones.' Early in her political career, Sawant spearheaded a push to secure a $15 hourly minimum wage for Seattle. She has fought to impose more taxes on big businesses such as Amazon and is an advocate for rent-control efforts. Sawant is calling for 'an immediate end to the genocidal war and occupation of Gaza,' according to her campaign website. She wants to see more funding for health care, schools and jobs, and is demanding that the U.S. cease all military aid to 'both the Israeli state and the bloody inter-imperialist proxy war in Ukraine.' Sawant has also criticized Smith as 'pro-corporate' and a 'warmonger.' 'We aren't going to stop right-wing attacks and defeat Trump by staying silent and allowing Democrats like Adam Smith to remain in power,' she said at Monday's event. In a statement to McClatchy, Smith welcomed Sawant to the race. But he contends Sawant played a part in ensuring President Donald Trump's return to the White House by campaigning against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The Congress member said Sawant deployed 'divisive' and 'extreme' tactics during her time on Seattle City Council. 'Voters in Washington's 9th Congressional District deserve thoughtful, effective leadership focused on real results — not ideological stunts,' he said. 'This election will offer a clear contrast, and I look forward to the challenge.' At the June 2 campaign announcement, Sawant condemned other progressive Democrats. She took aim at U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, accusing them of having long since yielded to their party's 'corporate and war-mongering agenda.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Kshama Sawant, a Seattle socialist, to challenge veteran WA Democratic congressman
Kshama Sawant, the socialist who served on the Seattle City Council until last year, launched a campaign for Congress on Monday. Above, she is speaking at a rally in Seattle in 2017. (Photo by) Kshama Sawant, the socialist who served a decade on the Seattle City Council, launched a 'working-class, antiwar, anti-genocide' campaign Monday to unseat incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Smith in the 2026 election. At her campaign kick-off in Seattle, Sawant called for a $25 an hour minimum wage, universal health care and a halt in U.S. military aid to Israel for its ongoing offensive against Hamas. Sawant did not seek re-election in 2023 as she established Workers Strike Back, an activist group focused on pro-labor causes and other issues. The Seattle resident vowed, if elected, to 'flip the script on how to use elected office' as she did as a city leader from 2014 to 2024. 'My socialist city council office went to war for working people to defeat the strenuous opposition from both big business and the Democratic Party,' she said in a statement. 'Our experience in Seattle shows that we can defeat the rich and their political servants.' Sawant filed as an independent with the Federal Election Commission. Smith, who's served in the U.S. House since 1997, said Sawant's candidacy will offer voters 'a clear contrast.' 'Her record on the Seattle City Council is defined by extreme, divisive tactics and policies that left lasting harm,' he said in a statement. The war in Gaza will be a major issue in the campaign. Sawant hit hard Monday, saying that because the Democrats and Republican parties have backed U.S. support of Israel 'to the hilt,' they both are 'responsible for what is in reality a new holocaust' in which thousands have died and Gaza has been reduced to rubble. Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, has 'blood on his hands' for fully endorsing the policies, she said. He, in turn, said Sawant bears responsibility for Republican Donald Trump winning the presidency because she actively campaigned against former Vice President Kamala Harris' bid for the office, undermining Democratic efforts to defeat Trump. 'I have constantly fought against Donald Trump and the devastating policies he is forcing on the American people,' Smith said. The two will duel to represent the 9th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Seattle and Bellevue as well as the south King County communities of Renton, Tukwila, Kent, Des Moines and Federal Way. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
