FOLLOWUP: Vehicle-noise enforcement camera bill dies in Legislature

As usual during the State Legislature sessions, the Monday afternoon City Council “briefing meeting” included an update on the status of bills of interest to the city. One of those bills, councilmembers were told today, “is not advancing” – HB 1423, which would have allowed the use of cameras to enforce vehicle-noise laws. The bill had passed the State House but didn’t come to a vote in the full Senate before the most-recent deadline for that to happen. It had been seen as a potential tool for street disorder in neighborhood such as Alki and Belltown. HB 1423’s sponsors included 34th District State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon of West Seattle, so we’ll be asking if he might try it again next year.

Rhonda April 21, 2025 (6:06 pm)

Good!

Alki Jack April 21, 2025 (8:55 pm)

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Why do you say “Good”. Are you a home owner on Alki Avenue SW? I doubt it. Do you just like loud popping illegal exhaust noise? Do you directly pay high property taxes for living on Alki Ave. SW? You probably like graffiti and loud thumping music coming from vehicles also. Can you spell “Looser correctly?
- Rhonda April 23, 2025 (1:20 am)
  
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  Citizens shouldn’t be spied on by government surveillance cameras, Alki Jack. And why do you think only those living in expensive neighborhoods should be free of excessive noise? Can you spell “entitled” correctly?
- Neighbor April 23, 2025 (9:48 am)
  
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  I live on Beach Drive and hear lots of noisy cars when the sun is out. The solution to vehicle noise is not to sacrifice our right to privacy by perpetuating a surveillance state.

Christopher B. April 21, 2025 (7:21 pm)

Disappointing.

Alki resident April 21, 2025 (7:26 pm)

Awesome news!

WSPK April 21, 2025 (7:29 pm)

Not Good! : )

Real April 21, 2025 (7:46 pm)

Good news!

Jay April 21, 2025 (7:57 pm)

We don’t need more police state apparatus. This is good. This is not an awareness problem. These cars don’t get quieter when they drive by a cop. An unproven and expensive system peddled by a private company won’t magically make anything better. It’s a police decision whether they prioritize enforcement of the laws we already have. Its not currently a priority, webcams with microphones won’t make it one.

Sue April 21, 2025 (8:16 pm)

Would this have ticketed people honking for all the protests?

WSB April 21, 2025 (8:20 pm)

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No.
- Martin April 22, 2025 (6:57 am)
  
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  That’s too bad.

Alki Jack April 21, 2025 (8:41 pm)

Well, I now have a very good reason for moving after many, many years. Very nice Alki Avenue condo will be for sale very soon. Good bye, the view is great….but that’s where it ends.

Derek April 21, 2025 (9:39 pm)

Good!!!!! Tired of mass surveillance. Finally a small win. This solved nothing. And likely ticketed innocent people more than not.

WSB April 21, 2025 (10:02 pm)

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It was never installed nor deployed, so no one’s been ticketed, innocent or otherwise.
- Derek April 22, 2025 (9:14 am)
  
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  I didn’t say it was installed or deployed? I guess it’s pedantic on the word “solved” but I should have said “would” after likely. Wasn’t expecting that not to translate or I *would have* edited. Words have meaning though I guess.
Derp April 22, 2025 (8:54 am)

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Really Derek, do some research buddy

Burgerman April 21, 2025 (9:56 pm)

Oh look, the two “law and order 🥴” Trumpers, Alki Resident and Rhonda, are stumping for something decidedly less than law and order. I don’t think they know WHAT they want. Point, laugh, and move on.

Rhonda April 21, 2025 (10:56 pm)

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Government spy cameras aren’t “law and order”, Burgerman, it’s tyranny and Authoritarianism. No one has ever been hurt by a loud car exhaust system. There are literally bullets flying around West Seattle almost every night and random carjackings on Beach Drive. Let’s tackle real crimes first.
- SoLongDelridge April 22, 2025 (12:42 am)
  
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  Rhonda would let the authorizations she voted for transport her neighbors to the camps while reminding them that at least we don’t have government spy cameras.
- CarDriver April 22, 2025 (6:45 am)
  
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  Rhonda. How are you responding to the banks,grocery,retail stores,restaurants of all sizes from local to national chains?? And don’t forget all the homeowners with security systems. They all have cameras watching your every move. Isn’t that “tyranny and authoritarianism”?? Or you are going to tell us that they’re different and their motives for recording are pure and innocent.
- Derek April 22, 2025 (9:16 am)
  
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  I’m completely and fully leftist and I agree with Rhonda here. Pains me to say it. Neolib centrist solutions are always to beef up surveillance and police and not fixing poverty.
  - Scarlett April 23, 2025 (10:51 am)
    
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    “Neoliberal” is equivalent to rebranding a used car saleman as a dealer in fine, authenticated antiquities. Most of you out there are not progressives, but globalist neoliberals, just admit itand stop with the ridiculousness.
Bbron April 22, 2025 (10:33 am)

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Rhonda’s been consistent about camera surveillance being a step too far, and I agree with them. However, their full throated support of SPD and the Trump admin without any mention of their gross human rights violations and other means of mass surveillance does expose an existence of cognitive dissonance.
AnotherOne April 22, 2025 (6:32 pm)

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Being against surveillance is one thing (I get it!) but they do uncritically support the human rights violations done by Trump which doesn’t make sense.

Admiral-2009 April 21, 2025 (10:15 pm)

What I do not understand is why with the State hard up for money why they are not cracking down on people with expired license tabs. Anecdotally, I estimate about 1 in 5, there are about 8,000,000 registered vehicles in the State. This means 1,600,000 tabs not being paid. Factoring in local agencies, Sound Transit fees et al we are talking about a significant amount of money not being collected! Likely around $150 to 200,000,000 a year!

Bbron April 22, 2025 (10:35 am)

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Gotta legislate against allowed purjury; there’s been plenty of people even in these comment sections that advocate for lying about not being the driver of their vehicle when they get hit with a traffic camera violation. Either prove it was stolen or tie fees to the vehicle itself.
Neighbor April 22, 2025 (11:27 pm)

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Please share your methodology for determining 1 in 5 cars on the road has expired tabs.
- Scofflawer April 23, 2025 (8:05 am)
  
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  Anecdotally Neighbor,
  I believe most people realize the lack of the total lack license plates, fake paper ones and not having the required plate on the front bumper has greatly increased over the last few years.
  Lawless driving, due to no traffic cops is now a threat to law-abiding motorists.
  Also much of the liberal pearl clutching over surveillance is moot due to the proliferation of private surveillance “Ring” and doorbell cameras as wells car mounted video monitors.
  We are now being surveilled any time we leave our homes.

So many unhappy people April 22, 2025 (7:28 am)

West Seattle Blog, is there any way to toggle comments on articles? Like a button to click to “display comments” or something? I really like the news you report and the way you do it, but I’m tired of seeing comments on the articles especially in such a polarized political environment. I just want the news if possible. Thank you for the great reporting!