Seattle City Council passes late night lounge safety bill
Seattle City Council passes late night lounge safety bill
The Seattle City Council passed new safety regulations for late night lounges, coming after multiple shootings at after-hours clubs.
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.
Family remembers security guard killed in Seattle Capri Bar shooting
After a deadly shooting two weeks ago, the Seattle City Council could soon be cracking down on after-hours lounges operating in the city.
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.
MORE HEADLINES FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
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.