Seattle’s Public Safety Committee unanimously passed legislation today to regulate after-hours nightclubs, marking a crucial step in the city’s efforts to address violence linked to these establishments. The proposal, which will go to a full council vote on April 15, seeks to establish new regulatory measures for clubs operating between 2 and 5 a.m. in response to an alarming number of shootings in these venues.
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
Tanya Woo, who introduced the proposal in October 2024 when she was a City Councilmember, told the Northwest Asian Weekly that she crafted the proposal in honor of Donnie Chin, a longtime community advocate who was tragically killed in 2015. Chin, the director of the International District Emergency Center, was shot while working to protect his community from violence connected to after-hours clubs.
“We’re going to be able to do something never done before, and many others have tried unsuccessfully,” Woo said after the vote.
The new regulations would require all businesses hosting gatherings, socializing, or dancing during the early morning hours to obtain a regulatory license. The proposed license would include safety requirements such as mandatory security checks for weapons, video surveillance of exits, and the presence of two trained security personnel during operating hours between 2 2 and 5 a.m. Additionally, establishments found in violation of these rules would face penalties, including a $250 application fee for the license and fines for non-compliance, with up to 90 days in jail for repeat offenders.
The legislation also includes provisions to revoke or deny licenses for establishments with a history of violent incidents, including shootings or serious safety violations. A nightclub’s operating license can be revoked if there is a shooting incident or two or more significant public safety events within a year.