San Francisco Rules Committee Meeting - July 17, 2023
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San Francisco Rules Committee Meeting - July 17, 2023
The Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 11:00 AM (remote and in-person) to consider eight items including campaign finance updates, surveillance technology policy, multiple commission appointments, and amendments to the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Committee (PROSAC). The committee, chaired by Supervisor Matt Dorsey, with Vice Chair Shamann Walton and Supervisor Ahsha Safai (arriving later), voted unanimously to advance most items to the full Board of Supervisors.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1 (Ordinance - Campaign Advertisement Disclaimer Requirements): Unanimously approved as a committee report. The ordinance modifies campaign and governmental conduct code to conform to a court order (Judge Breyer, February 2020) regarding Proposition F (Sunlight on Dark Money), which requires disclosure of top contributors for independent expenditure committees. Sponsored by Supervisor Connie Chan, the ordinance codifies the exception for very small print ads or short audio/video ads. The Ethics Commission voted 4-0 to approve.
- Item 2 (Ordinance - Surveillance Technology Policy for Social Media Management Software): Unanimously approved. The Human Services Agency (HSA) presented its policy for using social media management software (currently Hootsuite, moving to Sprout Social). The policy was discussed at two COIT meetings and recommended for adoption. No public comments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 7 (Homelessness Oversight Commission Appointment - Dena Aslanian-Williams): Multiple public speakers expressed both support and opposition. Jordan (she/her/they) strongly opposed, citing Aslanian-Williams' former role as Governmental Affairs Chair of the SF Association of Realtors, which Jordan argued contributed to homelessness through opposition to tenant protections and harm reduction. Jordan also criticized the appointment as rushed. In support, Jack Shea, Gabe Schreyer, Stephen Martin Pinto, Mike Noorr, and Kimberly Wong praised Aslanian-Williams' community leadership, open-mindedness, and ability to represent neighborhood perspectives. Sarah Short (HomeRise) expressed concern about lack of homelessness experience and potential conflicts of interest.
- Item 8 (Park Code - PROSAC Membership Amendments): Public comment included Richard Rossman (District 1 PROSAC) supporting amendments but urging flexibility to meet outside City Hall. Wendy Aragon (PROSAC Chair) thanked supervisors for collaborative amendments. David Pilpel requested careful language on meeting locations. Stephen DuPont Kalani (District 11 PROSAC) expressed support.
Discussion Items
- Items 3 & 4 (Mayoral Reappointments, Entertainment Commission): Ben Bleiman (representing entertainment associations) and Cynthia Wang (representing urban planning) were reappointed. Bleiman highlighted his six years of service and the importance of nightlife in San Francisco's recovery. Wang noted her work on the 'Just Add Music' permits and pandemic transition. No opposition. Supervisor Dorsey commended Bleiman for inspiring a drug checking service grant.
- Item 5 (Appointment, Entertainment Commission - Dory Camino): Appointed to seat representing neighborhood associations. Camino, Vice President of the Entertainment Commission, shared her background and cited pre-pandemic nightlife statistics: $6 billion in economic impact, 3,600 businesses, 62,000 employees, $80 million in tax revenue, and 1.6 billion in local supplies. She emphasized the resilience of San Francisco's nightlife.
- Item 6 (Mayoral Appointment, Building Inspection Commission - Earl Shaddix): Shaddix, previously appointed to fill a vacancy, highlighted his work on ADA compliance (deadline October 1, 2023) and the importance of the SRO Collaborative. He opposed budget cuts to the SRO Collaborative. Public comment: Jordan raised concerns about conflicts of interest in SRO Collaboratives.
- Item 7 (Mayoral Appointment, Homelessness Oversight Commission - Dena Aslanian-Williams): Aslanian-Williams, an immigrant from Iran, real estate professional, and neighborhood association leader, acknowledged her lack of direct homelessness experience but expressed willingness to learn. She mentioned her work with the Welcome Home Project (furnishing homes for formerly homeless) and her perspective as a small business owner and neighborhood delegate. In response to questions from Vice Chair Walton and Supervisor Safai, she emphasized accountability, data, and communication. She also addressed systemic inequities affecting African Americans, noting her personal family connections. Supervisor Safai noted the seat was designed for a neighborhood/small business perspective, and that the earlier nominee had been withdrawn.
- Item 8 (Park Code - PROSAC Membership): Supervisor Safai introduced amendments to the previously heard file: allow at-large board president appointee from multiple impacted communities (including disability), allow alternates to vote when primary recuses, and set a process for board president to appoint if a district supervisor does not fill a vacant seat within 30 days. The committee voted to adopt the amendments and continue the item to July 24, 2023.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Passed unanimously (3-0, Supervisor Safai absent) to full board as a committee report with positive recommendation.
- Item 2: Passed unanimously (3-0) to full board as a committee report.
- Items 3 & 4: Passed unanimously (3-0) after motion to strike 'reject' and send as amended to full board.
- Item 5: Passed unanimously (3-0) to appoint Dory Camino and send to full board.
- Item 6: Passed unanimously (3-0) after motion to strike 'reject' and send as amended to full board.
- Item 7: Passed unanimously (3-0) after motion to strike 'reject' and send as amended to full board, despite public opposition.
- Item 8: Motion to adopt amendments and continue item to July 24, 2023, passed unanimously (3-0).
Meeting Transcript
You're unmuted. This meeting will come to order. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Monday, July 17th, 2023 meeting of the Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I'm Supervisor Matt Dorsey, chair of this committee. I am joined today by my colleague, uh Vice Chair Shimon Walton and also our visiting uh colleague, um, Supervisor Connie Chan, uh Supervisor Ashasa Faye, I believe, is on his way. Um, on behalf of my colleagues, I want to express our gratitude to our committee clerk, Mr. Victor Young. Uh thanks also to the team at SFGov TV for facilitating and broadcasting today's meeting, in particular our producer today, Jason Goldammer. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Uh yes, I just like to add ask that our guests. Oh, they they took care of that. If you are a guest with us uh online, we ask that you mute your microphone and turn off your cameras. Uh in to the announcements, the Board of Supervisors and Committee are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those who are waiting on the telephone line. The public comment call-in number is streaming across the screen. When connected, you'll hear the meeting discussion, but you will muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those on the telephone should have a star three to be added to the speaker line. If you are on your telephone, please remember to turn down your t television and other listening devices you may be using. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing it in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the rules committee clerk at VICTOR dot YOUNG at SFgov.org. You may also send your comments via US mail to us at City Hall 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda on July 25th, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Would you please call item number one? Yes, item number one is ordinance mending the campaign and government conduct code to modify disclaimer requirements for a campaign advertisement to conform to a court order. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um Supervisor Chan is the sponsor of this item, and she is joining us today. Uh Supervisor Chan, welcome. With this floor is yours. Thank you so much. Uh Chair Dorsey. Um colleagues, uh, this ordinance was introduced by former uh Supervisor Gordon Mahr in November 2022 and is a trilling legislation for sunlight on dark money, uh also known as proposition F, passed by voters in November 2019. Proposition F, uh, sunlight on dark money strengthened campaign finance regulations and created the strongest disclosure requirements in the coun in the country for dark money campaign expenditures. Uh the prop app's new disclaimer requirements on campaign ads included a requirement that a committee, any commit uh a committee disclose secondary country contributors for primarily formed independent expenditure committee and uh ballot measures. If any of the top three major contributors of five thousand dollars or more is a committee, uh the disclaimer must also disclose the top two major contributors to that camp committee as well. However, a lawsuit challenging the ballot measure was filed in San Francisco, particularly uh, I believe the uh plaintiff was uh in this case was Todd David, and in February 2020, uh Judge Breyer issue a motion rejecting the legal challenge and keeping in place the new disclosure requirements, with the exception of very small print ads or very short audio or video ads of 30 seconds or less. The sole purpose of this ordinance is to bring the proposition ad finally uh the sunlights on dark money disclaimer requirements to really codify in campaign and governmental conduct code section 1.161 in line with Judge Breyer's order. The ethics commission approve this ordinance by a vote of four to one uh four to zero. Unanimous votes uh on December 9, 2022. Uh with this codification, this will mainly prevent future lawsuits, especially like the one that was filed uh in February 2020. So with that, colleagues, I look forward to having your support. So with that, colleagues, I look forward to having your support, really uh giving the thought that uh 2024 uh we're gonna have so many um things probably on the ballot and many issues to discuss. I really look forward to having uh truly a uh in uh election with integrity uh and showing the voters uh who is really behind those uh campaign dollars and that they can make informed decision. Thank you.
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