The Seattle Nightlife and Music Association (SNMA) is a coalition of music, night club, and bar interests formed to educate elected officials, civic and community leaders, and the media on the serious issues facing the music and nightlife industry in Seattle.

• Provide our customers a safe and vibrant nightlife.
• Protect music venue, bar, and club owner's rights.
• Respond to proposals which impact our industry.
• Support our local communities.
• Promote responsible music venue, bar, and club management.

SeattleNMA has been very successful over the past month working with the Washington State Liquor Control Board to craft a new nightlife liquor license proposal which will help modernize the industry. This new proposal will protect our city’s music community and provide important safeguards for local jurisdictions. While we believe some minor modifications may still be necessary, we feel it is much better proposal than what was initially offered in December. Please take time to review the proposed legislation as it will impact your business. We would be very interested in your feedback. Please email rachel@seattlenma.org with any feedback. The draft legislation can be found at: http://seattlenma.org/downloads/LCB_Pro ... egislation. We will continue to post updates on this important legislation.
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permalink  |  related link  |   Legislation has been introduced in Olympia to modify the current law. HB 1811 sponsored by Representatives Simpson and Pedersen amends the current state statute regarding requiring nightclub to have sprinklers. Here's the link to the bill: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007 ... s/1811.pdf

This bill does a couple of things. First, it extends the date for clubs to be sprinkled from December of 2007 to December of 2009, which we support. Second, it redefines the definition of a nightclub, which we are still reviewing and would be interested in your thoughts on this new definition. Finally, it provides a B&O tax credit for those who are required to install these systems. While a few parts of the bill may need a little more work, overall SeattleNMA believe it is a very good bill and we support its passage.

Please take a moment to review this bill and provide any feedback. The Senate will be introducing similar legislation and both the House and Senate will soon be holding hearings on this legislation. We will need affected club owners to attend and testify in support of these bills. You can keep track of the status of this bill here http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ and we will continue to post important updates here on our website.
permalink  |  related link  |   The latest edition of The Weekly has an excellent piece on the impacts of Washington's smoking ban. Here's the link: http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0704/butts.php

Clearly the 25 foot rule is having major impacts on litter in the city. A solution to this problem may be to eliminate the 25 foot rule and allow bars, restaurants and nightclubs to provide a designated outdoor smoking area and require these establishments to provide ashtrays for their customers.
permalink  |  related link  |   The City Council needs to hear from the nightlife community regarding our opposition to the proposed nightlife premises ordinance. SeattleNMA is hoping you will get involved today. Neighborhood activists are organizing an email campaign as we speak – the City Council must hear from our industry as well.

Please email the City Council and let them know you oppose this legislation. A sample email can be found at http://imonthelist.org/index.php?id=6 and you can just cut and past it into an email by clicking on the link to the councilmembers email addresses.

To read Seattle Nightlife and Music Association's talking points of the proposed law:http://www.seattlenma.org/downloads/SNM ... Points.pdf

To read Seattle Nightlife and Music Association's Analysis of the proposed law:http://seattlenma.org/downloads/SNMA_Or ... alysis.pdf

To read the entire Nightlife Premises License Ordinance:http://seattlenma.org/downloads/nightli ... inance.pdf

permalink  |  related link  |   Today SeattleNMA sent correspondence to the Seattle City Council with analysis and comment on the Mayor's proposed nightlife ordinance.

To view the letter to Council President Licata, please visit: http://seattlenma.org/downloads/SNMA_Licata_Letter.pdf

To view the analysis and comment document, please visit: http://seattlenma.org/downloads/SNMA_Or ... alysis.pdf
permalink  |  related link  |   This past Friday the State Building Code Council reviewed a draft bill amending the current sprinkler law. The new draft does two things: 1) it extends the date for nightclubs to install sprinklers from December 2007 to December 2009; and 2) it changes the definition of a nightclub. The new draft defines a “Nightclub” as an “existing assembly occupancy, other than a theatre with fixed seating, in which the aggregate concentrated use of unfixed seating and standing space, as referenced in the International Building Code, used for dancing or viewing performers exceeds 350 square feet. Exceptions that shall not be considered for application of this section include standing space in any of the following: auditoriums, bowling centers, social halls, gymnasiums, exhibit rooms, grange halls, lodge rooms, and lobby areas accessory to an assembly occupancy.”

It is expected that this bill will be introduced by Representative Geoff Simpson in the next few weeks. We anticipate further modifications to this proposed legislation including refinements to the definition of a nightclub as well as potential tax credits for business that install new systems.

We have requested an electronic copy of the legislation and will post in on the website as soon as we receive it. The staff of the State Building Code would like your thoughts on the proposed legislation. Please let us know immediately what you think of the amendments so that we can forward that feedback along to the appropriate staff.

permalink  |  related link  |   A draft bill is being circulated which would create a new statutory definition of a “bouncer.” The purported purpose of this bill would be to require businesses who employ “bouncers” for crowd control to conduct background checks on potential applicants prior to hiring them, essentially placing door people in the same category as “armed security guards.” This is another example of governments efforts to place additional regulations on bars, restaurants, taverns and nightclubs. The draft legislation can be found at http://seattlenma.org/downloads/bouncer_legislation.pdf. This bill has not yet been introduced, though we expect that to happen shortly. Once it is, SeattleNMA will post the full legislation, along with key legislators to contact.
permalink  |  related link  |   The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSCLB) intends to seek approval from the State Legislature of this new bill that would require a “nightclub” to obtain a special license from the state. You can find the legislation by visiting www.seattlenma.org/downloads/WSLCB_proposed_legislation.pdf. While SeattleNMA is just beginning our review of this legislation, there are a number of concerns, which we have identified:

The definition of a “nightclub”. The bill proposes a definition which would require any business “operated primarily for the purpose of providing alcohol and has any (one) of the following characteristics:” live entertainment, primary business hours between 10pm and 2am, operates 5 days a week or less, cover charge, or menus not offered to customers when beverages are ordered. This new definition will likely capture most every establishment serving alcohol open until 2 AM.

Potential restrictions/conditions placed on nightclubs. A major concern of this legislation is that any business defined as a nightclub could not allow persons under 21 on their premises, thereby eliminating all-ages shows at places that serve alcohol. It could also prevent restaurants that have live entertainment in the evenings from serving families lunch and dinner. In addition, this bill would allow WSLCB along with local law enforcement to establish conditions on a nightclub’s operations. These conditions would likely include mandatory security requirements and conditions currently identified in many of the city’s good neighbor agreements.

This bill is the result of the WSCLB’s Density Task Force, charged with addressing issues related to the statewide cap on the total number of licensed establishment, which was set by a statewide initiative in 1949. Essentially this proposed bill would remove the cap on the total number of licenses, provided that this new nightclub license is imposed by July of 2008. The Seattle City Attorney’s Office and the Mayor’s office have been intimately involved in developing this legislation. To date, no bars or nightclubs have been involved any of these discussions. WSLCB has expressed an interest in meeting with club owners to better understand the industry.

Please contact you legislator and the WSLCB to express you opinion about this legislation. We will need to mount an aggressive campaign to fight this bill. You can find your legislators at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx.Please cc rachel@seattlenma.org on your emails to your elected officials so that we can have a central place for these correspondence.

We will continue to update the website frequently with additional information. Please frequent www.seattlenma.org for more information.
permalink  |  related link  |   The Washington State Liquor Control Board is proposing the creation of a new Nightclub License. This is in addition to what the mayor is proposing and would require applicants to develop an operating plan for their establishments. SeattleNMA has yet to receive a copy of the proposed legislation, though we did receive the issue paper that was distributed at the last meeting of the WSLCB Density Task Force. That paper is attached here for your review.

WSLCB will be holding a public meeting on Wednesday, December 20 starting at 2:30 where the work of the density task force, along with the details for the proposed Nightclub License will be discussed. The meeting will be held at the Liquor Board Distribution Center boardroom located at 4401 E. Marginal Way in Seattle. The Density Workgroup recommendations will be heard from 3:30 to 4:30. We encourage you to attend this meeting.

Once SeattleNMA receives the proposed legislation we will send it out to everyone and post it on the website.
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