CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the City’s traffic code; conforming the Seattle Municipal Code with changes in state law and making technical corrections; and amending Sections 11.22.080, 11.31.050, and 11.58.005 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 11.22.080 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 124686, is amended as follows:
11.22.080 Vehicle license plates displayed
A. Display requirements. No person shall operate any vehicle on any street or alley unless a valid license plate or plates are attached thereon as required by RCW 46.16A.200. The vehicle license plates shall be attached conspicuously at the front and rear of each vehicle for which the same are issued but if only one (((1))) license plate is legally issued for any vehicle such plate shall be conspicuously attached to the rear of such vehicle. Each vehicle license plate shall be placed or hung in a horizontal position at a distance of not more than four (((4))) feet from the ground and shall be kept clean and uncovered so as to be plainly seen and read at all times; this requirement shall not apply in cases where the Washington ((state patrol)) State Patrol has granted permission to deviate therefrom, as provided in RCW 46.16A.200.
B. Unlawful acts. No person shall:
1. ((display)) Display a license plate or plates on the front or rear of any vehicle that were not issued by Washington Department of Licensing for the vehicle;
2. ((display)) Display a license plate or plates on any vehicle that have been changed, altered, or disfigured, or have become illegible;
3. ((use)) Use license plate holders, frames, covers, or other materials that conceal, obstruct, distort, change, alter, or make a license plate or plates illegible. License plate frames may be used on license plates only if the frames do not obscure license tabs or identifying letters or numbers on the plates and the license plates can be plainly seen and read at all times;
4. ((operate)) Operate a vehicle unless a valid license plate or plates are attached as required under this ((section)) Section 11.22.080;
5. ((transfer)) Transfer a license plate or plates issued under ((RCW Chapter)) chapter 46.16A RCW between two (((2))) or more vehicles without first making application to transfer the license plates. A violation of this subsection (((B)(5))) 11.22.080.B.5 is a traffic infraction subject to a fine not to exceed ((five hundred dollars ()) $500 (())); or
6. ((fail)) Fail, neglect, or refuse to endorse the registration certificate, except as authorized under this ((section)) Section 11.22.080. (((RCW 46.16A.200)))
Section 2. Section 11.31.050 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 126681, is amended as follows:
11.31.050 Response to notice of traffic infraction—Contesting determination—Hearing—Failure to appear
A. Any person who receives a notice of traffic infraction shall respond to such notice as provided in this ((section)) Section 11.31.050 within ((fifteen (15))) 30 days of the date of the notice.
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Section 3. Section 11.58.005 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 126681, is amended as follows:
11.58.005 Operating motor vehicle in a negligent manner—Penalty
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C.
1. A person commits negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim in the first degree if he or she operates a vehicle, as defined in Section 11.14.710, in a manner that is both negligent and endangers or is likely to endanger any person or property, and he or she proximately causes the death of a vulnerable user of a public way.
2. Negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim in the first degree is a gross misdemeanor. The mandatory minimum fine is $1,000, which may not be reduced. There shall be a suspension of driving privileges for 90 days, and the court shall notify the Washington State Department of Licensing of the suspension of driving privileges.
((1.)) 3. A person commits negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim in the second degree ((with a vulnerable user victim)) if, under circumstances not constituting negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim in the first degree or negligent driving in the first degree, he or she operates a vehicle, as defined in Section 11.14.710, in a manner that is both negligent and endangers or is likely to endanger any person or property, and he or she proximately causes ((the death,)) great bodily harm((,)) or substantial bodily harm of a vulnerable user of a public way.
((2.)) 4. Negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim in the second degree ((with a vulnerable user victim)) is a traffic infraction and is subject to the penalties provided by RCW 46.61.526.
D. For the purposes of this Section 11.58.005:
1. "Negligent" means the failure to exercise ordinary care, and is the doing of some act that a reasonably careful person would not do under the same or similar circumstances or the failure to do something that a reasonably careful person would do under the same or similar circumstances.
2. "Exhibiting the effects of having consumed liquor, cannabis, or any drug" means that the person has the odor of liquor, cannabis, or any drug on his or her breath, or that by speech, manner, appearance, behavior, lack of coordination, or otherwise exhibits that he or she has consumed liquor, cannabis, or any drug, and either:
a. Is in possession of or in close proximity to a container that has or recently had liquor, cannabis, or any drug in it; or
b. Is shown by other evidence to have recently consumed liquor, cannabis, or any drug.
3. "Exhibiting the effects of having inhaled or ingested any chemical, whether or not a legal substance, for its intoxicating or hallucinatory effects" means that a person by speech, manner, appearance, behavior, or lack of coordination or otherwise exhibits that he or she has inhaled or ingested a chemical and either:
a. Is in possession of the canister or container from which the chemical came; or
b. Is shown by other evidence to have recently inhaled or ingested a chemical for its intoxicating or hallucinatory effects.
4. "Great bodily harm" and "substantial bodily harm" have the same meaning as provided in RCW 9A.04.110.
5. “Vulnerable user of a public way” means:
a. A pedestrian;
b. A person riding an animal; or
c. A person operating or riding any of the following on a public way:
1) A farm tractor or implement of husbandry, without an enclosed shell;
2) A bicycle;
3) An electric-assisted bicycle;
4) An electric personal assistive mobility device;
5) A moped;
6) A motor-driven cycle;
7) A motorized foot scooter; or
8) A motorcycle.
E. Any act prohibited by this ((section)) Section 11.58.005 that also constitutes a crime under any other law of this City may be the basis of prosecution under such other law notwithstanding that it may also be the basis for prosecution under this ((section)) Section 11.58.005. (((RCW 46.61.525)))
Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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President ____________ of the City Council
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Approved / |
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returned unsigned / |
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vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2025. |
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)