Rules Committee Meeting - November 13, 2023
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Rules Committee Meeting - November 13, 2023
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee met on Monday, November 13, 2023, at approximately 10:00 AM. Chair Matt Dorsey presided, joined by Vice Chair Shimon Walton and Committee Member Asha Safai. The committee heard eight agenda items, including appointments, policy declarations, and initiative ordinances for the March 5, 2024 ballot. Key decisions included advancing a non-binding ballot measure urging SFUSD to offer eighth-grade algebra, and hearing and filing several initiative ordinances sponsored by Mayor London Breed.
Consent Calendar
- No items were placed on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Items 2-3 (Eighth Grade Algebra): Numerous parents, students, and community members spoke in support of restoring algebra to the eighth grade. Speakers included Rex Ridgway (grandparent), Jeff Lucas, John Tresvenia (District 11 resident), Ali Partovi and his daughter Lola (age 6), Selena Chu (SFUSD parent), Autumn Loyan (SF Guardians), Lawrence Lee, Chanel Visvalley, and others. Several speakers emphasized equity and the need to challenge all students. One speaker, a mother, spoke in Mandarin and had her comment translated to support the measure.
- Item 4 (Transfer Tax Exemption): Lamar Heistec of Asian Inc. urged inclusion of local business enterprises in the conversion incentive program.
- Item 5 (Police Policies): Tess Wellbourn, Joel Haile (ACLU NorCal), and Julie Trond (Bar Association of San Francisco) opposed the measure, citing concerns about weakening oversight, vehicle pursuits, and surveillance technology. Matt Susk (District 3 resident) expressed support for efficiency and drone use.
- Item 6 (Substance Abuse Screening): Tess Wellbourn opposed the measure, arguing it would increase homelessness and was punitive. No other public speakers.
- Item 7 (Foot and Bike Patrols): No public comment.
- Item 8 (Emergency Management Charter): No public comment.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Appointments to Ballot Simplification Committee – The committee heard from nominees Betty Packard (incumbent, seat 2) and Ruth Grace Wong (new, seat 3). Packard noted the committee's 27-year track record of accurate ballot digests. The committee voted unanimously to recommend all three nominees to the full Board of Supervisors.
- Items 2-3: Declaration of Policy – Eighth Grade Algebra – Supervisor Joel Engardio, the lead sponsor, presented the non-binding ballot measure urging SFUSD to offer algebra by eighth grade. He cited a Stanford study showing the current policy (delaying algebra until ninth grade) failed to help struggling students and held back advanced learners. Supervisor Safai shared his experience with the Algebra Project, a civil rights math literacy program. Supervisor Dorsey noted personal and economic competitiveness reasons. The committee voted unanimously to file the hearing (item 2) and send the ballot measure (item 3) to the full board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 4: Initiative Ordinance – Transfer Tax Exemption for Office-to-Residential Conversion – Anne Taupier of OEWD presented the mayor's measure, which would waive transfer taxes on the first conversion of office to residential use, cap the program at 5 million square feet, and allow the Board of Supervisors to amend the transfer tax without voter approval. Supervisor Dean Preston spoke in strong opposition, calling it a "Trojan horse" that would gut Prop I (which raised ~$300 million). Vice Chair Walton criticized the provision allowing the board to eliminate the tax without voter approval. Supervisor Safai questioned the projected revenue loss (30-150 million over 30 years) and the lack of a replacement plan. The committee voted unanimously to hear and file the item (no position on the measure).
- Item 5: Initiative Ordinance – Police Department Policies and Technology – Andres Powers (Mayor's Office) and Police Chief William Scott presented the measure, which would standardize community engagement, limit administrative time to 20% of officers' duty, allow vehicle pursuits for violent misdemeanors and felonies, authorize body-worn camera use in lieu of written reports for certain incidents, and permit a one-year pilot of surveillance technology before board approval. Supervisor Safai questioned the pursuit policy and noted the chief's prior statements favoring policy through the commission. Vice Chair Walton opposed the pursuit expansion and blanket technology approval, calling it a "right-wing attempt." Chair Dorsey noted the need for nimble technology use, citing other Bay Area cities. Public comment was largely opposed. The committee voted unanimously to hear and file.
- Item 6: Initiative Ordinance – Substance Abuse Screening for CAAP Recipients – Andres Powers and Trent Rohr (HSA Director) presented the measure requiring single adult CAAP recipients (about 5,200 people) to undergo screening for illegal drug use and, if reasonable suspicion exists, participate in treatment. The measure does not require drug testing or sobriety. Rohr explained implementation would follow models from LA and New York. Supervisor Safai raised concerns about defining "reasonable suspicion" and administrative costs. Vice Chair Walton criticized the punitive approach and urged investment in mental health services. The committee voted unanimously to hear and file.
- Item 7: Initiative Ordinance – Foot and Bike Patrol Strategy – Supervisor Safai, the sponsor, requested to continue the item, but after clarification, the committee simply heard and filed it without discussion.
- Item 8: Charter Amendment – Department of Emergency Management – Supervisor Safai moved to amend the election date from March 2024 to November 5, 2024, and continue the item to the call of the chair. The committee approved the amendment and continued the item.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Unanimous vote to recommend Christine UNRWA, Betty Packard, and Ruth Grace Wong to the full Board for appointment to the Ballot Simplification Committee.
- Items 2-3: Unanimous vote to file the hearing (item 2) and send the ballot measure (item 3) to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 4: Unanimous vote to hear and file the initiative ordinance (no position taken).
- Item 5: Unanimous vote to hear and file the initiative ordinance.
- Item 6: Unanimous vote to hear and file the initiative ordinance.
- Item 7: Unanimous vote to hear and file the initiative ordinance.
- Item 8: Unanimous vote to amend the election date to November 5, 2024, and continue the item to the call of the chair.
All items that were heard and filed are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on November 28, 2023, unless otherwise noted.
Meeting Transcript
Hold on a sec. Oh, there we go. This meeting will come to order. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Monday, November 13th, 2023 meeting of the Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I'm Supervisor Matt Dorsey, chair of this committee. And I'm joined by Vice Chair Shimon Walton and Committee Member Asha Safai. Together, we would like to express our gratitude to our clerk today, Mr. Victor Young. Thanks also to the team at SFGov TV for facilitating and broadcasting today's meeting, in particular our producer today, Jeanette Eganloff. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, public comment will be taking on each item on this agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called. Please line up to speak on the right. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the rules committee clerk at VICTOR.yo N G at SFgov.org. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and included as part of the file. Please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Documents to be included as part of the file should be submitted to the clerk, myself. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda on November 28th, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um before we get started in the interest of time, that we're gonna we are gonna be limiting public general public comment uh on issues to one minute and then those people who are contending for spots to two minutes. Uh Mr. Clerk, could you please call item number one? Yes, hearing consider appointing three members terms ending November 30th, 2024 to the ballot simplification committee. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Uh we have three nominees joining us today, or actually two are joining us, but three nominees for the ballot simplification committee. Uh for those unfamiliar with this bodies, it it's uh powers and duties are enumerated in section six ten of the municipal elections code. They generally involve preparing a digest for each measure voted to to be voted on in the city and county of San Francisco and assisting the director of elections to prepare an additional materials for the voter information pamphlet. Uh under that code section, seats one and two are nominated by either the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Northern California chapter, or the Northern California Broadcasters Association in today's case, both are nominated by the former. Separately, um seat number three reflects a nomination from the League of Women Voters. Um to the nominees here, I ask that you l again live le limit your remarks to a couple minutes and be available for QA if any. So I have chaired this I've been on this committee since 1997. I have chaired the committee since 2004, and I have at times regretted that. Uh but uh always at the end, I am proud of what we have accomplished. And one of the things that I keep telling voters is that when you read at the bottom of our page that's of our digest that says this is what will happen if you say yes, that's what will happen. And uh I am very proud of the fact that in all these years uh we when we have said this will happen, it has happened when passed. So um sometimes it seems like a brutal task, but I guess all volunteerism is like that. So I am happy that Chris is coming back. She had to resign for uh employment purposes, but now she's retired. I am so thrilled that she's back. And uh, we have a brand new person from the League of Women Voters. So uh we're looking forward to welcoming her to the fold. And uh one of these days, the school board will find it within themselves to find a representative to this committee. But for now, what this is a seventh year, we have operated without uh a fifth member. So but other than that, uh I I welcome your questions. Great. Uh thank you, Ms.
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