Richland, WA Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Richland does not have a stand-alone public-urination ordinance; instead, Chapter 9.34, Lewd Conduct, folds it into its definition of a "lewd act." Section 9.34.025(A) lists four acts that qualify: touching, caressing, or fondling genitals or a female breast; sexual intercourse; masturbation; and, in subsection (A)(4), "urination or defecation in a place other than a washroom or toilet room." Subsection (B) makes a person guilty of lewd conduct if they intentionally perform any of those acts "in a public place or at a place and under circumstance where such act could be observed by any member of the public." "Public place" is defined broadly in § 9.34.010 to include streets, sidewalks, bridges, alleys, plazas, parks, driveways, parking lots, and even vehicles whether moving or parked, plus buildings open to the general public.

This section is separate from indecent exposure under § 9.34.020, which targets deliberate exposure of one's body rather than urination or defecation, though both sit in the same chapter and share the exemptions in § 9.34.035 for expressive dance, theatrical performances, educational classes, locker rooms, licensed adult-business employees, and breastfeeding. Section 9.34.025(C) sets its own penalty rather than deferring to the chapter default, classifying a lewd-conduct conviction as a misdemeanor even though the chapter's general penalty clause in § 9.34.040 otherwise punishes chapter violations as gross misdemeanors.