CB 121179 — Version 1 https://webapi.legistar.com/v1/seattle/Matters/16942/Texts/18287 CITY OF SEATTLE ORDINANCE __________________ COUNCIL BILL __________________ ..title AN ORDINANCE relating to collection of surveillance data; specifying conditions for a mandatory 60-day pause in data collection for Seattle Police Department Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) and Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems; and amending Ordinances 127044 and 127297. ..body WHEREAS, the City is proud to be a welcoming City, affirming its steadfast commitment to serve as a safe and supportive home for refugees and immigrants; and WHEREAS, the City recognizes that every individual possesses a fundamental right of privacy regarding their personal reproductive decisions, bodily autonomy, and gender affirming care; and WHEREAS, state and local laws and policies prohibit City resources and personnel from being used to assist with or participate in activities that support or constitute civil immigration enforcement, unless otherwise required by law; and WHEREAS, Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems collect time-stamped location data that can reveal sensitive patterns of movement, including an individual's attempt to acquire reproductive health services, gender affirming care, visits to workplaces, schools, religious institutions, medical facilities, and community organizations; and WHEREAS, Washington lawmakers and Seattle City Councilmembers have expressed concern that ALPR and CCTV data is being used nationwide to support mass-deportation efforts and other civil immigration actions contrary to state and local policies and community-trust objectives; and WHEREAS, since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, there is an increased risk that ALPR location data will be used by out-of-state entities to investigate or prosecute individuals for seeking or providing lawful reproductive health care; and WHEREAS, ALPR data collected by some Washington law enforcement agencies has been shared with federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raising legal and civil rights concerns about the use of state-collected data for civil immigration enforcement; and WHEREAS, Seattle City Councilmembers wish to ensure that ALPR and CCTV data collected in Seattle is used solely for legitimate local public safety purposes; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinances 125376 and 125679, the City Council passed Ordinance 127110 on October 8, 2024, authorizing CCTV systems to be erected in pilot deployment areas on Aurora Avenue North, Belltown, the International District, and the Downtown Commercial Core; and WHEREAS, the City Council passed Ordinance 127297 on September 9, 2025, which expanded the City's CCTV pilot to the Capitol Hill Nightlife area, the Stadium District, and the Garfield High School neighborhood; and WHEREAS, Ordinance 127297 requires a 60-day pause of CCTV data collection if the City or its vendor receives a warrant, subpoena, or court order for Seattle CCTV data in a federal civil immigration enforcement matter, or if Seattle CCTV data is released pursuant to law for use in a federal civil immigration enforcement matter; and WHEREAS, the City Council passed Ordinance 127044 on June 18, 2024, which approved the Seattle Police Department's (SPD's) expansion of ALPR technology from its current limited use to a fleet-wide deployment on all SPD patrol vehicles; and WHEREAS, Ordinance 127044 does not require a 60-day pause of ALPR data collection if ALPR data is released for use in a civil immigration matter; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to extend the 60-day pause protection to ALPR data and to specify additional triggers that would pause surveillance data collection to protect the privacy, reproductive rights, gender affirming care, civil rights, and safety of all Seattle residents, including vulnerable immigrant communities, and to maintain public trust in local law enforcement technologies; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Ordinance 127044 is amended by adding a new Section 4 as follows, renumbering subsequent sections accordingly: Section 4. Temporary pause in data collection A. SPD shall immediately pause for 60 days the collection of data from ALPR technology deployed in its patrol vehicle fleet if: 1. The City or its vendor receives a warrant, subpoena, court order, or is otherwise required by law to release Seattle ALPR data for use in a civil immigration enforcement, gender affirming care, or reproductive health care matter; or 2. The Mayor and Police Chief have determined that ALPR data is being used, or potentially will be used, to track individuals seeking reproductive health care, gender affirming care, or for civil immigration enforcement purposes, including, but not limited to, uses that may occur concurrently with an increased presence of civil immigration enforcement personnel in Seattle. Such use or potential use must be jointly determined by the Mayor and Police Chief and documented in a letter to the Council President. B. Within two business days of the ALPR data collection pause, SPD or the Mayor's Office will report to the Council the circumstances that triggered the pause and the date that the ALPR camera systems will resume data collection. Upon receiving the report, the Council may by ordinance extend the pause or end the patrol fleet ALPR program to prevent third parties from accessing Seattle's protected surveillance data. C. During a data collection pause pursuant to subsection 4.A of this ordinance, the Mayor by executive order shall have the authority to temporarily resume ALPR data collection when necessary to gather and transmit to prosecutors evidence of potentially unlawful acts that occur during civil immigration enforcement operations or at reproductive health care or gender affirming care facilities. The Mayor may exercise this authority by issuing an executive order that states the reasons that data collection is necessary and the date on which data collection shall again be paused. Any temporary resumption of data collection pursuant to this subsection shall reset the 60-day pause required in subsection 4.A of this ordinance. Section 2. Section 3 of Ordinance 127297 is amended as follows: Section 3. ((If the City or its vendor receives a warrant, subpoena, or court order for Seattle CCTV data in a federal civil immigration enforcement matter, or when required by law releases Seattle CCTV data for use in a federal civil immigration enforcement matter, SPD shall immediately pause use of the CCTV camera systems for 60 calendar days. Within two business days of the CCTV camera systems pause, SPD will report to the Council the circumstances that triggered the pause and the date that the CCTV camera systems use will resume. Upon receiving the report, the Council may by ordinance extend the pause or end the CCTV program to prevent third parties from accessing Seattle's protected surveillance data.)) Temporary pause in data collection A. SPD shall immediately pause for 60 days the collection of data from CCTV cameras deployed as part of its Technology-Assisted Crime Prevention Pilot if: 1. The City or its vendor receives a warrant, subpoena, court order, or is otherwise required by law to release Seattle CCTV data for use in a civil immigration enforcement, gender affirming care, or reproductive health care matter; or 2. The Mayor and Police Chief have determined that CCTV data is being used, or potentially will be used, to track individuals seeking reproductive health care, gender affirming care, or for civil immigration enforcement purposes, including, but not limited to, uses that may occur concurrently with an increased presence of civil immigration enforcement personnel in Seattle. Such use or potential use must be jointly determined by the Mayor and Police Chief and documented in a letter to the Council President. B. Within two business days of the CCTV data collection pause, SPD or the Mayor's Office will report to the Council the circumstances that triggered the pause and the date that the CCTV camera systems will resume data collection. Upon receiving the report, the Council may by ordinance extend the pause or CCTV program to prevent third parties from accessing Seattle's protected surveillance data. C. During a data collection pause pursuant to subsection 4.A of this ordinance, the Mayor by executive order may temporarily resume CCTV data collection when necessary to gather and transmit to prosecutors evidence of potentially unlawful acts that occur during civil immigration enforcement operations or at reproductive health care or gender affirming care facilities. The executive order shall state the reasons that data collection is necessary and the date on which data collection shall again be paused. Any temporary resumption of data collection pursuant to the executive order shall reset the 60-day pause required in subsection 4.A of this ordinance. Section 3. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of its application to any person or circumstance, does not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances. 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 _________________________, 2026, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2026. ____________________________________ President ____________ of the City Council Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this ____day of _______________, 2026. ____________________________________ Katie B. Wilson, Mayor Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2026. ____________________________________ Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk (Seal) Greg Doss LEG Protecting Surveillance Data ORD D4 2 Template last revised February 19, 2025 2 Version No. 1