Councilmember Bob Kettle, chair of the Public Safety Committee, announced the proposal alongside City Attorney Ann Davison and Mayor Bruce Harrell.
Seattle police at the scene of a quintuple shooting in the Chinatown-International District on Dec. 7, 2024. In a bid to curb violence associated with after-hours lounges , Seattle City Council members have introduced a new ordinance aimed at regulating these establishments.
Councilmember Bob Kettle, chair of the Public Safety Committee, announced the proposal alongside City Attorney Ann Davison and Mayor Bruce Harrell. The ordinance mandates that lounges operating after 2 a.m. must maintain up-to-date city permits and licenses, employ two security guards, implement video surveillance, draft a safety plan, and allow police entry.This new bill to address safety at Seattle’s after-hours lounge scene underscores our unwavering commitment to the security and well-being of patrons and the broader community," said Councilmember Kettle. "Recognizing that persistent gun violence is unacceptable, we believe it’s our responsibility to act in a strategic and meaningful way. The proposal was crafted after multiple work sessions with stakeholders, including victims' families, nightlife operators, and the SODO Business Improvement Area. Enforcement will be managed by the Finance and Administrative Services Department, with fines starting at $1,000 for the first violation and escalating to $5,000. Gun violence at after-hours lounges and the heartbreak these incidents have caused for families in our city requires action to improve safety for patrons, employees, and the surrounding community," said Mayor Harrell. "This legislation gives the City another tool to enhance nightlife safety and sets commonsense standards that late-night establishments must follow. After-hours lounges, which operate between 2 and 6 a.m., have been linked to numerous shootings and homicides over the past decade. "One thing we all agree on is that we want to reduce gun violence in Seattle," said Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison. "This legislation requires after-hours lounges to take common-sense safety measures to improve safety. We owe it to the victims of gun violence to take action now." Notable incidents include the 2015 shooting of Donald "Donnie" Chin, the 2024 killing of Francisco Escatell, and the 2023 shooting on Rainier Avenue South that left three dead and six injured.
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