Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the June 1st, 2026 Rules Committee meeting.

I am your chair, Supervisor Shimon Walton.

I'm joined by Vice Chair Steven Sherrow, soon to be joined by President Rafael Mandelman, and we have Supervisor Sauter who is here with us this morning as well.

Our clerk is Victor Young, and I want to thank Jamie Eschevery with SFGov TV for making sure that this meeting is publicized and available to the public.

Mr.

Clerk, do we have any announcements?

Uh yes.

Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda.

When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak on your 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 UNG at sfgov.org.

If you submit public comment via email, it will be included as part of the file.

You may also send your written comments via U.S.

mail to our office in City Hall.

One Dr.

Carlton be good lit place, room 244.

San Francisco, California, 94102.

Please make sure to silence all cell phones on electronic devices.

Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of June 9th, unless otherwise stated.

That completes my initial announcements.

Thank you so much.

Would you please call item number one?

Item number one is ordinance mending the administrative code to create the North Beach Entertainment Zone.

On Powell's between Columbus Avenue and Vallejo Streets, Union Street between Powell Street and Grant Avenue, Grant Street between Powell Street and Grant Avenue, Columbus Avenue, between Union Street and Williams Saroyan Place, Williams Haronian Place, and Jack Carroque Alley, Stockton Street between Filbert and Vallejo Streets, Villail Streets between Stockton Streets and Grant Avenue.

Grant Avenue between Columbus Avenue and Filbert Street, Broadway between Columbus Avenue and Kearney.

Jasper Place between Union and Green Street, Ferry Building Entertainment Zone.

This area is bounded by the east side of the Embarcadel on the west.

Ferry Building on the South.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Clerk.

Supervisor Sauder.

Thank you, Chair Walton.

Uh Supervisor Sherrill.

Thanks for uh letting me join this morning uh to speak on item number one.

This is a package of new entertainment zones for district three.

Uh there's a lot of excitement in these neighborhoods uh for this legislation.

And these new entertainment zones are the result of partnerships with uh respective entities in each neighborhood, including the North Beach Business Association, the Downtown SF Partnership, Hudson Pacific Properties, Port of San Francisco, and various small businesses as well.

Um, before you, you have one amendment which I'm asking for your support on, which is a uh non-substantive amendment striking out the embarcadero plaza entertainment zone for this package.

Uh, we hope to allow more time for engagement on the proposed boundaries in particular for that one.

So uh this will bring it down to three new entertainment zones in district three instead of four, uh leaving now the ferry building, Belden Place, Downtown, and North Beach.

Uh the legislation also adjusts the hours of allowable outdoor consumption during an entertainment zone event to start at 11 a.m.

instead of noon, uh, which brings it better in line with typical hours of street fairs and festivals intended in these spaces.

Um, I want to thank Ben Van Houten and OEWD for their work on this uh package.

Um I think we're all seeing the promise uh in the impact of entertainment zones, and I'm excited for uh these three, and I hope that uh you'll support them, colleagues, and uh move this forward with this particular amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you, Supervisor Souter.

Vice Chair Sherrow.

Uh thank you, Chair Walton.

Um, I'd like to move to accept the amendments as pro as uh submitted by Supervisor Sauter striking embarkadero plaza um from the entertainment zone.

Thank you, and we will of course vote on those after public comment.

Mr.

Clark.

Yes, members of the public who wish to speak on this matter, just line up to speak at this time.

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

There'll be a soft chime when you have 30 seconds left and a louder time when your time has expired.

Are the members of the public who like to speak on this matter?

Good morning, supervisors.

My name is Claude Mbeau.

I am the Vice President of Public Realm and Economic Development for the Downtown SF Partnership, which you know covers 43 blocks of the financial district and Jackson Square.

Um I first want to give a shout out to Supervisor Sauter.

Thank you very much for your support in moving uh Belden Alley uh as well as Ben Van Houten and Casey with OEWD for their assistance.

Um if you don't know, Front Street was California's first entertainment zone, and it happens to be in our district, and we were the applicant, and we kicked it off with a highly highly successful um Oktoberfest event that drew upwards of 10,000 people.

And we have the receipts to back that up.

Uh we have the data, and we spoke with the bars there, and they said uh that they had seen increases of sales upwards of 1,500 percent.

Every time we have an event in Front Street, the business do extremely well for the time period that the event is taking place.

Uh we hope to see the same with Beldon.

I was approached by uh Peter Cordaroli with Sam's Grill, as well as Johnny Love or Johnny Matheny as he's known with Toy Soldier, who wanted to see Belden return to its former glory back in the 90s.

I was there when it was truly a food destination, and they want to return and see some of the impacts associated with Front Street into Belden Alley.

This would be our third entertainment zone.

The other one we have is Gold Street in Jackson Square, which we hope to do something with uh as well.

So thank you very much for your support and uh this is making a difference.

Thank you.

Good morning, supervisors.

Um, I'm Scott Lansettle, the Deputy Director of Real Estate for the Port of San Francisco.

Um, simply here to express support for the uh entertainment zone of the ferry building covering port property, uh, and just want to acknowledge uh Hudson Pacific for great I think coordination and outreach with uh security operations planning and other things related to this.

And the port's very excited to continue to uh draw interest and and events and activation on the waterfront, which we've seen great momentum on.

So we'd like to continue.

Thank you.

Good morning, supervisors.

My name is Stuart Watts.

I'm a small business owner in North Beach and the president of the North Beach Business Association.

Here to represent North Beach for the entertainment zone.

For those who don't know, North Beach has been the entertainment district for years, going all the way back to 1849.

So we're excited to make it finally official.

We've worked very closely with the supervisor, Central Station, Entertainment Zoning Department, to make sure that everybody had a seat at the table.

Most importantly, to do this in a safe and organized manner so everybody can have a good time, including families.

We're gonna take a nice slow approach because we're as the entertainment district already.

We want to make sure that we execute this correctly and have a safe and entertaining district from here on out.

For any other questions, feel free to reach out to the North Beach Business Association anytime.

Thank you.

Good morning, Supervisors.

I'm Lillian Chester, and I am the director of events for Hudson Pacific Properties representing the ferry building.

And I'm here to just express our support for um for the entertainment zones.

We've hosted a calendar of over 300 events and activations outside of the farmers market, and we are looking forward to adding the entertainment zone into the mix.

We have been closely coordinating with our security team, our merchants, and really looking forward to seeing just how we can support our merchants at the ferry building and bring free accessible events to the people of San Francisco.

Thank you so much.

Are there any other members of the public who would like to comment on this matter?

There are no additional speakers.

Thank you, Cena.

The speakers' public comment is now closed.

See no other comments from colleagues, Mr.

Clerk on the motion to amend.

Yes, on a motion to amend.

Cheryl Aye.

Member Manelman.

Aye.

Chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Supervisor Cheryl.

Thank you, Chair Walton.

I'd like to move to send uh the amended item to the full board with positive recommendation as a committee report.

Thank you.

And on that motion, Mr.

Clerk.

Yes, on that motion.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Aye.

Cheryl.

Aye.

Member Madame.

Aye.

Chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton aye.

That motion passes without objection as a committee report.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Mr.

Clerk, please call item number two.

Item number two is the ordinance amending the administrative code to create the downtown hospitality zone in the area bounded by 5th Street and from Folsom Street to Market.

Cyril Magnan Street from Market to Eddie Street.

Eddy Street from Cyril Magnan Street to Mason, Mason Street from Eddy Street to Ellis Street, Ellis Street from Mason Street to Taylor Street, Taylor Street from Ellis Street to Post, Post Street from Taylor Street to Mason Street, Mason Street from Post Street to the to Bush Street, Bush Street from Mason Street to Kearney, Kearney Street from Bush Street to Market, Market Street from Third Street to 2nd Street, 2nd Street from Market Street to Folsom Street, and Folsom Street from 2nd Street to 5th Street, and affirming the planning department's determination under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Thank you so much.

And I know we are joined by Ben Van Houten from OEWD.

Good morning.

Good morning, Chair Walton, members and Supervisor Sauter, Ben Van Houten from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

This is a this is the duplicate file from the item that uh was uh uh heard by this committee uh I think about three weeks ago at this point um as a just again to restate the backstory.

This is local implementation legislation for Senate Bill 395, which was authored last year by Senator Wiener, which enables the city to designate a zone downtown for the issuance of up to 20 uh non-transferable restaurant liquor licenses.

Um the original item uh passed the board designating a hospitality zone as as uh read by the clerk uh for the issuance of up to 15 licenses.

This with this duplicate and with the uh amendment that I had shared with the the committee uh prior to this, we're requesting to reduce that number from 15 uh further down to 12 licenses uh for consideration through this program.

So I'm happy to answer any questions and um uh yeah would request uh the your acceptance of the amendment and moving this forward.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Supervisor Sauter.

Uh thank you, Chair.

Uh, and again, uh Mr.

Van Houten.

Thanks for your work on this.

Um, you know, I know there's uh uh excitement about this.

There's also some concerns from um existing business owners and uh you know for me.

I think the important thing is that we watch this closely, um, see how this actually plays out.

Um can you give us a sense based on you know the rounds that these are issued and the timelines?

When could we uh expect to um know how these are performing?

Is that something you can report back on?

Thank you, Supervisor.

Um, certainly would be happy to report back on it.

Uh you know, the licenses are issued uh under state law, ABC can issue up to 10 licenses the first year and then uh up to five in any subsequent year of this program.

Um, the license issuance would start with a application period in September and um and and awardees through the licensing lottery would be able to start moving forward, likely in October.

Um so by by early next year.

I mean, certainly before that, we would have some initial data around how many applicants uh uh do we have an idea of where they're applying for, and then over the months following that.

So from October into early next year, we can continue to monitor and ideally work with folks to help them navigate permitting challenges.

Um that's a long way of saying we're gonna be closely monitoring this throughout uh implementation and would be happy to report back in whatever form or fashion makes sense to you.

Thank you.

Um I know what's before this body today is um changing the number, which uh I'm supportive of.

I know there's also requests for the geography.

I think that's at this moment, I think that's a bit too limiting.

Um, so I I'm glad that's not going forward, but I think it's a a future option based on the performance.

So thanks for articulating that.

Thank you, Supervisor Sauter.

Thank you, Ben.

Supervisor Sherrill.

Um, I just want to thank you all for working hard on this with the community.

Supervisor Sauter, thanks for working hard on this.

Um I'd like to move to accept the amendments proposed by OEWD to change um 15 new licenses to 12 new licenses.

Thank you, Supervisor Sheryl, and we will take up that amendment after public comment, Mr.

Clerk.

Yes, members of the public who wish to speak on this item should line up to speak at this time.

Each speaker will yellow two minutes.

Are there any members of the public who would like to comment on this matter?

Good morning, supervisors.

I'm Brian Sheheat, CEO of FutureBars and representing my fellow food and beverage operators in the downtown area.

Um this has been very troubling legislation, and I do I really must thank your rules committee members and supervisor Sauter's office, Supervisor Sauter himself, and Ben Van Houten from the OEWD for listening to our concerns and um taking action on them.

We do appreciate that the number of licenses being proposed has gone from 20 to 12.

However, we would additionally like to request that only six of those 12 licenses be issued in the first year, not 10 out of 12.

As Supervisor Sauter alluded to, it would definitely be very beneficial to review at the end of the first year how these six new licenses have impacted the community and particularly how they've impacted existing businesses.

The main challenge that we have as operators with this license is there are still uh 40 full liquor licenses parked at the ABC, indicating that this is an oversupply of licenses and an undersupply of operators.

In addition to these 40 licenses, we're now as a city dropping 12 more licenses potentially into the downtown area.

Um the pie is only so big and the slices are very, very narrow right now.

Um some of our locations are barely hanging on, and this is why we're so concerned about it about this.

We're the operators that have stuck it out over the last five years since the re since the uh shutdown, and we hope that we'll be here in a year to see how the program goes.

Thanks for your time.

Are there any additional members of the public who would like to comment on this matter?

There are no additional speakers.

Thank you.

See no additional speakers.

Public comment is now closed.

And I do just want to thank uh my colleagues as well as business owners in the area, and just want everyone to remember that as we try to revitalize downtown and do everything we can to make sure we get more business.

We want to do everything possible to continue to support our existing businesses, and I know everyone has worked together to come up with uh slight compromise, but like Supervisor Sauter said, this is probably gonna be a work in progress.

We're gonna see how how things go because we want this to work for everyone, and so uh we look forward to monitoring and see how this goes over over the next year.

Would that say on the motion to amend Mr.

Clerk?

Yes, on the motion to amend.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Cheryl.

Aye.

Member Manelman.

Manelman Aye.

Chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton Aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion to amend carries.

Supervisor Cheryl.

Uh I'd like to make a motion to send the amended item to the full board with positive recommendation.

Um we intending to do this as a committee report.

I don't see it there.

So just positive recommendation.

Yes.

On the motion to recommend as amended.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Cheryl.

Aye.

Member Manning.

Aye.

Madam and I, Chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton Aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Mr.

Clerk, can you please call items three, four, and five together?

Yes.

Item number three is a hearing consider appointing one member term ending April 30th, 2030 to the police commission.

Item number four is a motion approving and rejecting the mayor's nomination for the appointment of Lawrence Lowe to the police commission for a term ending April 30, 2030.

Item number five is a motion approving rejecting the mayor's nomination for the reappointment of Matty Scott to the police commission for a term ending April 30th, 2030.

And just to note regarding item number three, David Albert Angel has withdrawn his application.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Clerk.

And we will go in order of how each item appears on the agenda.

So do we have Kevin Michael Benedicto here for police commission reappointment?

Why don't you tell us about yourself why you want to continue to serve?

And thank you for being here this morning.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair Walton, Vice Chair Sherrill, and President Mandelman.

It's an honor to be considered for reappointment to the police commission.

I'd like to talk a little bit about uh my background, some of the achievements and priorities that I think we've achieved in the last four years, and what why I would like uh to be reappointed and what I think we could work on next.

Uh prior to serving on the police commission, I served as pro bono counsel to the Blue Ribbon Panel of Transparency, accountability, and fairness in law enforcement, served on the Bar Association of San Francisco's criminal justice task force, and in my pro bono capacity, advise law enforcement departments across the country on policy oversight and best practices, including alongside the University of Pennsylvania's Quatron Center for the Fair Administration of Justice, who conducted a review of the Madison, Wisconsin Police Department response to the protests in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd.

In these capacities, I worked with SFPD substantially, even before being on the commission, serving on working groups and testifying and attending over 50 commission meetings before being on the commission, which I think is a record.

Since serving on the commission, I have been selected by my fellow commissioners as commission vice president, and I'm now the second most tenured commissioner at a time when more than half of the commissioners are new.

Additionally, in my private practice, I'm a litigator and founding partner at the law firm of Benedicto and Simonovich, which among other things uh advises clients on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data privacy, which as SFPD has worked to modernize its technology with efforts like drones and other surveillance, has uh proven very helpful as that process has gone underway.

I want to focus on a number of uh achievements that I think the commission has accomplished in the last four years.

Uh first uh and foremost is public safety.

Like the mayor and like the members of this committee and the board, public safety is always first and foremost the top priority of this commission.

Uh, as a commissioner, I've worked with SFPD on a number of initiatives, uh, focus on public safety.

I mean, other than the fact that everything the commission does is for public safety, but specifically focused on removing unnecessary uh barriers and paperwork uh to allow officers to spend more time doing the community policing and the high value policing that our community wants.

For example, we streamlined the body-worn camera policy to maintain best practice standards on accountability, but reduce paperwork requirements on all officers to spend more time getting back on the streets as opposed to unnecessary documentation so they can focus on what matters.

Additionally, in these last four years, the commission under the leadership of President Cindy Elias and now President Don Clay has been the most productive police commission in modern San Francisco history.

SFPD in these last four years completed the Department of Justice collaborative reforms and update and modernize more policies that have had real results than at any other time in the commission's history.

I also think we pioneered a model that proves that reforms are not in conflict with public safety, and reforms don't mean less policing or depolicing, and can be done in collaboration with the community and the department.

For example, we passed a landmark policy deprioritizing certain pretext stops in an attempt to reduce uh racially biased stops at SFPD.

This policy involved unprecedented collaboration with the department and the community.

Over one year, we had over 20 meetings, both with the community as well as closed door meetings with officers at every level, including ones without command staff to get honest feedback and change the policy multiple times to the point where the final policy was supported by both community advocates and Chief Scott.

Since that policy has been adopted, we've seen the first set of data, and we've seen for the first time in decades a reduction in racial disparities at the same time that crime has gone down and total stops has gone up.

When I was here four years ago, I promised the rules committee then, of which uh President Manlin was also on, that collaboration and community engagement were two of my priorities as being on the commission, and I believe, and those were core to my theory of what it means to be a commissioner, and I believe that is I've delivered on those.

I have attended more ride-alongs, community meetings, I've attended every academy graduation except one where I had COVID.

Uh I believe it's critical that commissioners understand and show respect for what officers do and what communities experience because it makes us better commissions and makes the commission a more responsive and effective body.

Reform only works if officers and the community see themselves as partners in the process and not victims of a top-down hierarchical process, and I think the commission has taken great strides to partner in that regard.

Finally, I want to spend a moment to talk about the important commission work that is less public, which is the discipline and officer uh and the uh and fairness.

Discipline is one of the most important behind the scenes roles that commissioners do.

We hold incredible responsibility, the livelihoods of these officers and their careers and entertaining very serious allegations, and it's important that we approach them with fairness, impartiality, and a consistent procedure.

I've worked with uh with the POA disciplined team, with the city attorney, and with the commission to make sure all the discipline cases uh are going through smoothly.

I'm proud that the commission has successfully cleared a substantial backlog of cases and um have conducted a number and settled and resolved a number of discipline cases.

Finally, I'd like to talk about my uh priorities.

Uh in my conversations with all the supervisors, I talked about that the department's in a time of transition.

The DOJ reforms are considered completed.

We have a new mayor, we have a new chief, we have a largely new commission, and I think that there is still work to be done to make sure that we can continue the positive momentum we've built and continue to be the best department in the country that we can be.

Uh, one example is continuing to modernize our policies, for example, the policies on First Amendment activities, uh, continue to make sure our policies make all of our communities in San Francisco feel safe, but this is particularly true given the hostile federal government administration and issues around protests that make many in our community feel unsafe.

To keep momentum on public safety issues, both big issues such as homicides and small issues as quality of life.

We just had graduated the largest academy of class in over a decade to continuing that momentum in larger academy classes and ensuring that all the progress the department has made uh continues to move forward.

I'd also like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the many members of the community who provide a written comment in support of my reappointment.

I feel very incredibly privileged to have the support, and I particularly the breadth of the support from groups from the Chinese American community, the Philippine American community, uh the public defender, um, fellow members of the Board of Supervisors.

I I think I it was very, like I said, collaboration and community was a big priority of mine, and to see the breadth of support for my reappointment was a validation that the commission does not have to be in opposition to in order to achieve its goals and it can be a partner and it can be collaborative.

Uh with that, I'm happy to answer any questions from the supervisors.

Thank you so much, Commissioner.

At this time I don't see any questions or comments from colleagues, so we will go to item number four and bring up Lawrence Lowe.

Good morning, Chair Walton.

Good morning, President Mandelman, Supervisor Sherrill.

Uh just like to take a second uh to um best send my best wishes to our injured police officer.

Uh I certainly hope that he and his family recover quickly.

It was a sad tragedy on Sunday night, and I want to make sure we acknowledge that.

I am very honored to have been nominated to the police commission by Mayor Laurie, and I appreciate you taking the time to review that nomination.

I want to make three points during my remarks.

The first is to give you a little bit of background and to explain why I am interested in serving on the police commission.

I'm a long-term, long-time resident of San Francisco.

Born in Berkeley, moved to San Francisco when I was in the third grade.

My father purchased a house in Diamond Heights from the city because he could not find a homeowner who would be willing to sell to a Chinese person in the 1960s.

I'm a proud uh graduate of the San Francisco Public Schools, Clarendon Aptus and Lowell, and following that I went to UC Berkeley, where after two interns in Washington, DC, decided very much to come back to San Francisco because I found that to be my community.

I'm very grateful for San Francisco for the values that it has shaped my life and the life of my family, and to show that gratitude, I have invested in a great deal of nonprofit work.

I have served as the officer and a board member of over 15 nonprofit organizations that have served the communities, all communities of San Francisco, education, vocational training, professional development, parks and heritage sites, arts and museums, and to stem gun violence.

Second point I like to make is uh some of the skills that I've acquired over my years as a lawyer, educator, and nonprofit leader uh that I think will stead me well for service on the commission.

The first is conflict resolution.

For 10 years, one of my jobs uh daily tasks was to resolve conflicts.

I think of myself as a as a listener who who provides great empathy, listens to all sides and makes decisions, considering all the equities that uh have been expressed.

I'm not afraid to make hard decisions.

Uh they aren't always popular, but I hope they are ultimately at the end respected for doing the right thing.

Second is policy.

Um I've often had found myself in a role of having to stay two or three steps ahead of growing trends and practices and have to devise policies that continue to foster innovation, creativity, but at the same time provide checks and balances to ensure that the any adverse consequences are mitigated.

And third thing is governance.

Partnership.

Uh it's a the commission is a critical civil civic board, and it is important to ensure that there is a partnership between the police, the commission, and the communities.

I propose I I hope to foster that.

I think that partnerships are critical, critical to partnerships, and the foundation of them is trust.

And I believe that there is a common ground in the current lacronic current common ground uh striving for public safety.

And I believe that that's the basis on which to try to build uh trust.

Uh, communities are to be served.

And that service needs to be responsive, transparent and unbiased.

The police deserve to be supported.

They need to have the authority and the tools to be able to effectively do their position.

But with that support comes, of course, accountability and transparency that is important for all of us to have again that trust.

I think San Francisco currently is on the rebound.

Clearly, the statistics are indicating crime rates are declining and down, and I think public sentiment uh around public safety uh is resonating through all of these communities.

I think this is a great opportunity to know and study what is doing, what we are doing right and what is going well, and to continue to try to foster uh that that momentum and develop and improve uh where we are.

So I again thank you for for your consideration, my nomination.

Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Um, thank you, Mr.

Lowe.

I don't see any questions or comments from colleagues, so we will bring up Commissioner Scott for item number five.

And I do want to thank Mr.

Lowe for mentioning as we are here having a hearing.

We did have an officer who was shot late last night, early this morning.

Uh I had a chance to go to the hospital with the mayor um very very late last night, early in the morning, as she was going into surgery.

And so our prayers are with her.

We know that our officers put their lives in danger to save the city and make sure people are safe and we understand the magnitude of their job, but all of our prayers and thoughts are with this officer as she was shot in the line of duty.

And I just took a call with the mayor, that's why I walked out, and so we're hoping for the best while she is in surgery right now.

Thank you, Miss Commissioner Scott.

Good morning.

President Mendelman, Chairman Shimon Walton, and Supervisor Sherell.

It's good to be here this morning before you as I come to this honorable gesture.

It is my pleasure to be here to serve on this commission.

I've had a year of experience, but 30 years in the making.

As you know, uh I come from a background of civil rights and uh violence prevention here in San Francisco.

Um it'll be 30 years this year that um I lost my youngest son to gun violence and have served as the California Brady uh president um in gun violence prevention and legislation um and helping to curve and make our streets safer as San Francisco gears toward public safety as being the number one priority as Mayor Lurie has um initiated.

That is my goal that public safety be number one here in this city.

Um I come from serving on both sides.

Um I don't I don't uh take sides, I take action.

So public safety is about all of us or none of us, and my service on the commission is to bring and bridge the gap, bridge the bridge the gaps that's needed in this city between law enforcement and community, and the police um definitely is one area that we've made a lot of progress in, thanks to uh former Chief Scott who opened the doors to us and helped to change some of the policies that were put in place, and now it's an honor to work with Chief Liu as well to continue that legacy so that all of our um children in schools, our families and communities, our public um servants like yourselves, and everybody could feel safe in our community because it's about all of us and none of us at the end of the day.

And I have to weigh and measure, way and measure it isn't way and measure what's best for the service as a police commissioner, way and measure the justice system that's in place, way and measure how you cooperate and respond to the community.

We have to weigh and measure all of that.

And the thing is, is building relationships.

My goal is to build, continue to build the relationships that we have built in this community, but build a sense of trust, hope, dignity, and respect on all sides.

While at the same time, accountability, holding everyone accountable.

And that means not only the police department, but also the public as well.

Accountability is very important to me on both sides of the fence because that's where you bridge the gaps.

That's where communities come together.

That's where you sit at the table and talk about what's going on together to come up with the best solutions for this city.

And my goal is to continue serving on the police commission to bridge those gaps, build those relationships.

Let folks know you have a voice.

You have a voice.

We're all public servants.

The police is public servants, and we are public servants to you.

But at the same time, building strength in the community as well to build that trust and that the gaps that are in place right now that separates us and keeps us apart.

We've done great here in San Francisco with uh police accountability with the community, we're building relationships.

We will continue having those town hall meetings to continue working with organizations like SVP, United Players, and others to help us continue this work with Brady United Against Gun Violence, Mothers in Charge, all of us, you know, because at the end of the day, I want my son to come home, and I want your son or your daughter to go home.

And I also want that officer to go home to his family.

That is what we're after.

We're after right now, recruiting, recruiting more women, more men, young people, to serve on the police department, to become the police department.

Don't talk about it, be about it.

That is one of my goals as well, and that's what we're doing right now.

Encouraging young people, which is being a police officer used to be a stigma, a horrible stigma, and as we know because of past actions and things that have occurred.

Right now we're changing that face.

We're changing the face of that.

More people coming forward now, more young women, young men are coming forward now, wanting to become police officers because they understand now it's not just about carrying a badger and and having having a badge and carrying a gun.

It's about public safety, it's about protecting your community, it's about protecting the people that you love.

And San Francisco is a city of diversity.

We have done a lot, you know, in the city.

I love it.

It's the city of St.

Francis.

It's a city that has done major changes across the country.

No one has done what we have done here in San Francisco, as we continue to do.

You know, we were the first to do many things, and we will continue being the first to do many things, many great things.

And serving on this commission is one of my goals is to help continue those changes for progress, for success, for safety, for respect, for accountability, for service, and for justice.

Justice for all, not just for some, but justice for all on both sides.

Because as I always say, we must stop the killing and start the healing.

And this is how we do it.

We start the healing by coming to the table, by building relationships, by strengthening communities, by empowering those in law enforcement to be better servants, to have understanding with one another and respect.

I've served in helping to the program that was called Stop and Frists.

As you remember, Chairman Walter, when we had all those stops in the Bayview Hunters Point area, our young men were angry, you know, because of being stopped and frished all the time.

You know, stopping while being black or stopping while being, you know, Latino or a person of color.

Well, that has changed, and it's going to continue to change.

You know, we won't have any more incidents on the muni car on Munich as a young man was stopped.

One of my mother's sons was stopped and then over a transfer, and he was shot and killed.

Those things we have pulled down.

We have definitely made progress, and offices involved shootings, we have made progress and building relationships.

We have made progress and accountable police accountability, and we have made progress and community accountability, and we will continue doing that.

That is my goal.

Thank you, Commissioner Scott.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

And I don't see any questions or comments from colleagues, so we will take public comment on items three, four, and five.

Yes, members of the public who speak on these items, should line up to speak at this time.

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

There'll be a soft chime when you have 30 seconds left, and allowed a chime when your time has expired.

Good morning, supervisors and guests.

My name is Dale Manami.

I'm here to speak on behalf of Larry Lowe appointment to the police commission.

By way of introduction, I've been an attorney in the Bay Area for over 50 years.

Seems like just 50 50 years, but I wanted to uh speak on his behalf because I've known him for some time.

And by way of introduction, I helped found the Asian Law Caucus, which is a community interest law firm.

I also helped found the Asian American Bar Association, which has over a thousand lawyers, Asian Pacific American lawyers here in the Bay Area.

But before I was a lawyer, I was a teacher.

I was a lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley.

I taught Asian American studies, and that's where I met Larry Lowe.

He was a student in my class, and an exceptional student, and not just uh uh because of his brains, but because he had a capacity for relating to people.

He had a graciousness that uh was supernatural almost.

And as a result, we became friends.

We've stayed in touch over the last 50 years.

I've watched his trajectory, and the trajectory is pretty remarkable, not just in professional work, but in community work.

He dedicated so much time to different organizations, Asian American community, but far beyond the Asian American community.

And Larry reminds me of two other remarkable people.

One was his father, Justice Harry Lowe, who was a well-known jurist in San Francisco with integrity, with uh uh with intellect and the same grace.

The other person is his mother, Mailing, who imbued him with those same qualities.

So, by way of uh genetics, by way of environment, this is a no-brainer.

Thank you.

Good morning, supervisors, President Mandelman, Chair Walton, and Supervisor Cheryl.

My name is Celia Lee.

I've been a resident of the city since 1994.

I'm currently a partner in the law firm of Gold Fireman Littman, and I formerly served the city as a deputy city attorney from 2004 through 2013.

I'm speaking in support of uh Lawrence Lowe's nomination, whom I'll refer to as Larry.

I've known Larry for almost 30 years.

In 1998, Larry co-founded the San Francisco office of the large Seattle-based law firm Preston Gates and Ellis, and I joined the firm that year.

We worked together until 2004 when I joined the City Attorney's Office.

We've kept in touch over the years, and these days, in my role as president of the Asian American Bar Association Law Foundation, I'm honored to administer a fellowship for law students established by the Lowe family in memory of his father, the late Justice Harry Lowe.

Larry would bring to the police commission a steady hand, a listening ear, and a sense of fairness and justice.

He was a leader from the get-go at Preston.

After founding the office, Larry was immediately asked to be on the executive committee of the entire firm, which is several hundred lawyers in several cities, and then served as the managing partner of our office.

His leadership style is not one of blustery sound bites, but of calmness and empathy, and combined with the ability to listen to all stakeholders, ask critical questions, and make difficult decisions.

These qualities, along with his business and governance experience, have served him very well in his positions of service and law and nonprofit.

His strong sense of justice compelled him to teach as well at Stanford.

With his experience, acumen and integrity, Larry's exactly the type of person we need on a commission of such critical importance.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Arlene Drummer, and I'm a retired San Francisco police officer, been retired for 26 years, worked for 25 years.

My colleagues are supposed to be in front of me, but one of them is way in the back.

And that's uh Captain Sylvia Harper, retired and Captain Yolanda Williams.

I'll just have a few words to say because they're gonna do a lot of talking.

As a member of the Office of Justice, I made a commitment several months ago.

I'm speaking in behalf of Benedicto.

I'm in support of Benedicto.

Uh I made a commitment several months ago to attend each Wednesday night meeting of the police commission meeting.

I sat quietly each Wednesday, observing and listening to the proceedings.

I was so impressed with the commit with Commissioner Benedicto, and I am in total support of him being reappointed and his continuing concern about what's going on in the black community.

For the last two and a half months, I've been in physical therapy.

I had a total knee replacement, but I will be back and will be putting my input.

I've been sitting quietly, but I will be putting my input on several items that I am concerned about.

So again, I say I'm in support.

And I'm gonna give the rest of my ministers so come on.

Yeah, good morning.

I went to be in the back to, you know, for fairness, I did get up last.

So thank you, Arlene.

Um good morning, uh President and board members.

Uh thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of of Kevin Benito, uh Benedicto, I'm sorry, on Sylvia Harper, on a retired San Francisco police department commander and captain.

I served for almost uh 32 years in all four of the bureaus, the airport uh patrol investigation and admin, so I know police officers and how they perform, good people, many of them.

And also, though a proud member of the Officers for Justice, which is a minority peace officers association union that was basically it was organized to address bias and accountability in the police department back in the 70s on a product of that consent decree, but mostly on here because I am a resident of San Francisco.

My family and I were born and raised in San Francisco.

Currently, we live in San Francisco, so we fill uh District 10, by the way.

And so we fill and see the impact of the police department and how they operate.

Uh, Kevin Benedicto, he has demonstrated that he has earned the opportunity to continue to sit on the police commission board because he is the right person for the job.

He knows the importance of the position as it provides police oversight and reforms, and it governs the San Francisco Police Department.

He listens to the community and to the police, and he contributes.

He is involved in the community.

He has the appropriate background as he's an experienced civil rights attorney and criminal justice advocate.

He has served on the police commission prior and knows how to collaborately work with the other commissioners, the police and the public, and he is um just to accomplish all the tasks that are put forth and to bring the department into the modern times.

He is approachable and personable.

He marches, he's out in the public with the public, with the public.

Okay, Arlene's time.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Thank you.

Do I get a few Arlene's moments?

Oh, that was.

I guess two minutes, yes.

Oh, okay.

I did get extra minutes.

Okay.

Good morning, Board of Supervisors.

My name is Yolanda Williams.

I'm a native San Franciscan, retired captain of the San Francisco Police Department, 32 years of service.

I'm currently the president emeritus of officers for justice, vice president of the NCAA CP San Francisco Branch, and the chairperson of the criminal justice committee for the NAACP.

I'm here today to express our organization's strong support for the reappointment of Kevin Benedicto to the San Francisco Police Commission.

Throughout his tenure, Benedicto has been a steadfast advocate and a proponent of reform within the San Francisco Police Department.

He is actively engaging the community, ensuring that our concerns and issues related to police practices are heard and addressed.

Moreover, he has consistently attended community events when invited, demonstrating his commitment to transparency, inclusion, and accountability.

Commissioner Benedicto is one of the few dedicated police commissioners we can strongly constantly rely on, and he listens to our voices and he works diligently to effect meaningful change.

Serving as a police commissioner for such a large diverse metropolitan city is not an easy task, but Benedicto has shown his integrity, dedication, and strong moral compass that has contributed significantly to the stability of the police commission.

For these reasons, I strongly urge you to reappoint Kevin Benedicto to the San Francisco Police Department in order to ensure we continue to move forward with those two hundred and seventy-six reform initiatives.

He is the people's choice, and I hope he will also be yours.

Thank you.

Good morning, Board of Supervisors.

My name is Corinne Ruiz Hester, and I've been a teacher and administrator in schools, K 12 in San Francisco and internationally.

I've known Larry Lowe.

I'm speaking on behalf of Lawrence Lowe, Larry.

I've known him for nearly 30 years and came to know him as the board chair for the Hamlin School in San Francisco, a school with a hundred and fifty year history in the city of San Francisco, and where I served as head of school from 1997 to 2007.

Larry was my direct supervisor, and so he evaluated my work and ensured that the school was thriving overall.

From the outset of my meeting and working with Larry, it was evident that his leadership was defined by his commitment to the highest ethical standards, his ability to negotiate complex issues, his ability to understand and communicate clearly the fundamental issues at hand in any given situation.

He handled every meeting and interaction with equal measures of intelligence, backbone, common sense, and compassion, and also good humor.

In Larry, we had a leader to admire and to emulate, and certainly one we could trust.

So it is a true honor for me to come before you enthusiastically and wholeheartedly to support the nomination of Larry Lowe to the police commission for the City of San Francisco.

You've you've heard about his broad range of nonprofit uh contributions and leadership throughout his career.

It is clear that he has used his combined expertise in law and business to support a remarkable array of civic organizations.

His care and concern for young people in particular would be germane to this appointment.

In summary, I can think of no one who would be better suited than Larry Lowe to bring a disciplined mind, an experienced hand, and an open heart to the serious and important topics that come before the San Francisco Police Commission.

He has my full confidence and great enthusiasm, and I would urge his nomination be confirmed.

Thank you.

Good morning.

My name is Buck G.

And by way of bio, I spent 35 years in Silicon Valley in high tech, my last job being uh general manager and vice president at Cisco Systems.

But the last 20 years I spent in nonprofits, mostly serving the Asian American community, and I've known Larry for uh over ten years doing that.

Probably the the probably the best well-known or uh nonprofit I'm board on now.

I'm on four boards is CMAC, the Chinatown Media and Arts Collective that just acquired the Empress of China uh last month.

Anyway, but I but I've seen Larry, or I I can have seen Larry in uh exhibit the characteristics he talked about, being a calm legal advisor and being deal and dealing with conflict.

For example, I was board chair of Angel Island, and he was on the board for for uh 10 years ago, and and at the time, the time of financial crisis, the board settled down and said we will save this organization.

And exists today because we committed as an organization to save the organization.

I've seen him deal with conflict because I'm also on the organization called Committee 100, and it was a time when there was internal internal conflict, and Larry was one of the more one of the more calm people dealing with that.

So, in terms of dealing with conflict on the commission, I can attest that he has a characteristics that he talks about.

Thank you.

Good morning, City Leaders.

Uh, my name is Jesus Lara.

I'm San Francisco resident, uh District One.

Um, I wanted to say that uh one of the things that struck me about uh Mayor Lori and his quote uh we're making real progress on the public safety in San Francisco and Larry Lowe's decades of uh leadership across law, business, and the nonprofit sector will help us keep that momentum going.

I couldn't agree more.

Uh, where I live uh near uh, you know, by Golden Gate Park, uh right off of our park presidio on 14th Avenue in Anza.

Uh the number of suitcases, uh, that I don't have to stumble across anymore, car break-ins, uh, all of that.

Uh I can definitely attest to that, 43% drop uh in uh you know crime that is going on in the city.

Um I met Larry about five, sixty years ago through nonprofits.

Uh I'm my co-chair and I um we were co-vice presidents of student affairs for an organization called Assun Leadership, uh, and looking at redrafting um uh the charter for charter template for the schools that were our affiliate.

And so I just want to read a couple of things for uh that uh both my co-chair Gloria Lee, uh longtime aide uh to Fiona Ma's office uh and I uh drafted here.

Uh he has been a strong supporter for AAPI professionals and business owners, especially during his tenure as a SENS uh chief operating officer.

He personally mentored and trained numerous young professionals, connected them to programs and resources to help them excel in corporate America and a dedicated numerous hours to recognizing and empowering API leaders.

I know that Larry is the right person uh to be on this commission just uh going beyond that uh coming to San Francisco in 1972.

So I know he's the right person to be fair, uh humble and uh also you know objective.

Thank you.

Uh good morning, uh Chairman Walton and President Mandelman and Supervisor Cheryl.

Appreciate your time this morning.

My name is Paul Chignell.

I'm a retired San Francisco police department captain who formerly commanded the Bayview Station, the Engleside Station, the Terravel Station, and also commanded uh the investigations bureau comprising of homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and other investigative units.

For the past 11 years, I have been the legal defense administrator for the San Francisco Police Officers Association.

In that capacity, I've known uh Commissioner Kevin Benedicto.

He has been a strong supporter of recent police reforms, uh, some of which the POA had an adversarial role, but I must say that uh we supported most of them.

And when we did disagree, uh the commissioner listened to us, he was receptive to our point of view.

Uh and the final product are uh reforms that we continue to embrace.

The um commissioner is a stalwart adherent of fair and progressive discipline.

I've worked with him on multiple discipline cases, and uh he has been totally professional in that uh regard.

He has been indefatigable in reaching out to community concerns throughout San Francisco about many aspects of policing.

He is an asset to the police commission, and I wholeheartedly support his uh reappointment.

My former colleagues uh who just spoke to you, I certainly uh join with their comments.

Thank you very much for your time.

I hope that you uh also support uh Commissioner Scott, who's invaluable, and look forward to working with uh future Commissioner Lowe, if confirmed by the board.

Thanks again.

Good morning again, uh Commissioner's Kevin Benedicto, but here as just a San Francisco resident, uh, speaking in support of uh Commissioner Scott as well as the appointment of Larry Lowe to the Commission.

I strongly support both their appointments.

I'll start with uh Commissioner Scott.

It has been a privilege to serve with Commissioner Scott for the last year.

She has decades of history as a tireless and relentless community advocate, and it's been an honor to have that experience on the commission.

Uh since she served on the commission, I've been fortunate to help her get adjusted to some of the things like discipline cases and have helped um attend some of her early case management conferences and status calls, but very quickly she didn't even need the training wheel.

She took to it so naturally and did a tremendous job with all of her cases.

I think I said it on one or two of her calls, and then she was off and running.

Uh additionally, Commissioner Scott and I share the same commitment to bring the commission to the community alongside Commissioner Scott.

We've done commission events at Third Baptist Church and other locations throughout the community to be sure that we're bringing the commission to the community.

And it's been an honor to go to Third Baptist with her and to march alongside her at the Martin Luther King Day Parade and other events.

Um I also am here to speak in support of the appointment of Larry Lowe.

Um he comes from an incredible family of public servants.

Uh, their father uh was uh a trailblazer in a tight in our legal community.

Uh his brother Alan serves on the fire commission.

I had the privilege of having Alan uh speak and introduce me at my own swearing in at the commission four years ago.

Um he has an incredible track record as a lawyer practicing law at the highest levels and administering uh nonprofits of the highest levels, and I look forward to uh being able to tap that incredible expertise as the commission continues to uh provide its role.

And I hope that I'll be able to serve alongside Commissioner Scott and Larry Lowe as well.

Thank you.

Good morning, rules committee, supervisor Cheryl Walton and Manleman.

Uh before I get to the meeter, why I'm here today.

Um, I do want to out loud express uh thanks to Commissioner Benedicto for including Connected SF in his process to vet out uh thorough feedback on the hiring process, uh, which would be our next chief and Chief Lou.

Thank you, Commissioner Benedicto.

He does, he does, he is very active in the community.

Um, but why I'm here today is for the better looking Lowe brother.

Um I'm here to support, we're here to, excuse me, we are here to support uh Lawrence Lowe, Larry Lowe.

Uh he will bring balance, accountability, consistency, tough decision making.

I know those are a lot of buzzwords, but I trust him to the police commission.

Uh, he's a close family friend.

Um, and we think nothing but the best of him, and we appreciate Mary Larry for appointing Larry Lowe.

All right.

Um good morning, supervisors.

My name is Chris Silvan, and I'm the Civic Engagement Senior Program Manager at Chinese for Affirmative Action, and I work closely with the Language Access Network of San Francisco.

CAA supports the reappointment of former Commissioner Kevin Benedicto.

CAA works to protect the civil and political rights of immigrants and limited English proficient individuals, including language access.

San Francisco's language access policy is seen nationally as a gold standard, and we wanted to ensure the city's police department fulfills that criterion.

CAA and LAN SF worked with former Commissioner Benedicto to successfully improve SFPD's language access policy.

In a city as linguistically diverse as San Francisco, where 20% of the population speaks uh language other than English, providing meaningful language access is essential to ensure public safety.

Former Commissioner Benedicto understood the importance of language access and fought to ensure the policy reflected the department's commitment to high quality language services.

He improved the policy on behalf of communities while operating with professionalism towards his colleagues and being respectful and collaborative with SFPT.

With these aforementioned reasons, we believe former Commissioner Benedicto is well suited for another term on the police commission, and we respectfully request your vote in support of former Commissioner Kevin Benedictus' application to the police commission.

Additionally, we also recommend the committee to confirm Commissioner Scott's reappointment.

We were also able to meet with Commissioner Scott on language access, and we appreciate the time she took to meet with the community and her public comments in favor of a robust language access policy.

Thank you.

Good morning, Chair Warden, President Manorman, Supervisor Cheryl.

My name is Jose Un.

I also serve on the Immigrant Right Commission, and also work at CAA, Chinese form of infection.

Today I'm speaking on behalf of CAA.

CAA urge the committee to reapport former Commissioner Calvin Benedito to the police commission.

Our EP limited anguish provision already face multiple barriers to accessing public services, and these challenges had only exacerbated by deferral administration's unlawful action to dismantle language rights and terrorize immigrant communities in our city.

A strong language access policy sent a cure messenger to San Francisco immigrant community.

You can safely report crimes and ask for help without fear or confusion.

Commissioner Rice President, Commissioner Benedictro's support of community language access recommendation were critical in securing a meaningful and helpful amendment through SRPD's language access policy.

His timely support means the city's LEP population, which represent 20% of our city's population will have the rights protected and have trust that police department can meet their unique language and safety needs.

During this time on the police commission, Commissioner Benedito has highlighted community perspective, elevated key civil rights issue and meaningfully enhance the commission's policy making process.

We respectfully urge your supporting in her reappointment to the police commission.

Additionally, we would also like to thank Commissioner Scott for her support of language access and lifting up the importance of providing meaningful translation interpretation for small language groups in our city.

We recommend the committee to confirm her reappointment, and we look forward to working with her and all the commissioner on the board to implement a language access policy at SRPD.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you.

And before next speaker, I just want to remind everyone if you've already spoken in public comment, you will not be allowed to speak again.

Everybody has one time to come up and speak for public comment.

So my apologies, but public comment is always two minutes for everybody, and we did say public comment for items three, four, and five together.

My apologies, but I cannot allow someone else to come up and speak twice.

Thank you.

Good morning.

My name is John Quo.

I'm here to speak on behalf and in favor of Larry Lowe's appointment to the police commission.

I am, by way of introduction, I am the retired general counsel of several Fortune 1,000 companies, and now I serve on boards, both company boards as well as nonprofit boards, including the board of the Institute on Aging in San Francisco.

I've known Larry now for approximately 10 years, but I know Larry most uh familiar familiarly uh in the context of uh two uh things one is co-teaching the Asian American Law Course at Stanford Law School, and the second is working with Larry at Ascend, which is the largest API professional organization in North America, and in particular on a SENS 10 by 25 initiative for board diversity.

Both of these exemplify Larry's core values of being a mentor and giving back so that others can follow in his footsteps.

I saw Larry's passion in his work with the Stanford students from sharing his family's personal stories at Angel Island to bring the history to life to his uh mentorship and coaching of the students in the soft skills that they don't teach in law school.

Similarly, Larry's unflagging energy helped launch the 10 by 25 initiative, which has been so meaningful in terms of board diversity and creating a pipeline of diverse board candidates.

So it is through these uh instruction uh interactions that I know Larry to be a very thoughtful person who does not jump to conclusions but will weigh facts in totality and understand the implications.

He's also a collaborative and trusted colleague who seeks to find consensus and common ground at the same time his deep integrity.

He is not afraid to speak truth to power and to offer contrarian views.

So I think that he would be a terrific asset to the commission.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Scott is here to speak on behalf of Vice President Benedicto.

I want to say that he has been wonderful for someone like me coming into the commission that's new.

Um he has taught me so much, and I love what he does in the community.

I love what he does with the police department.

I love everything that he has demonstrated as a commissioner.

And I'm just here to speak on his behalf that you hopefully reappoint him because we need someone like him to continue to service our city here in San Francisco.

He has helped me tremendously and has definitely helped our um entire uh police commission, but definitely someone that cares about what he does, cares about the city, cares about both sides of the issues, and innovative when it comes to policies, creating new policies and procedures that's going to benefit all of us in keeping our city, as the mayor said, public safety being number one.

So, and uh also want to say welcome to our new commissioner.

So we'll speak on his behalf.

I've seen I haven't met him in person, but his record speaks for itself.

So hopefully, we'll have another great SFPD police commission.

Thank you.

Hi, I'd like to use the overhead as I speak.

Um, I am here for Kevin Beckendicto, Maddie Scott, and our new person that's gonna be a reappointed.

Um I'm here, I I come to the police commission.

I'd like to use the overhead uh concerning my son and other mothers every every Wednesday.

I've been at the my son's been murdered for like he's been gone for almost 20 years now.

August 14th will be the anniversary, and it's coming up.

I am there because I appreciate everyone that helped bring the new law for um at the police commission for ways to pay tipsters now.

I have a 250,000 dollar reward for my son.

Here is other homicide victims that have been murdered and cases aren't solved.

And as well as Maddie Scott's son right here.

So I was wondering, you know, the reappointment of them all, because they have helped me.

I have a uh shared relationship with Matty Scott because we both lost our son.

Kevin Benedicto has been there, he's very passionate about us mothers.

I thank them for helping me getting my son's name on the corner of Grove and Baker.

I live in District 5, so I appreciate them being there every year for the revision.

Look at all the unsolved homicides.

This is what the perpetrators left us with.

That's why I say the police commission, Count of Benedicto and all of them help me.

This is what I have to see, and this is what mothers have to go through every time.

And we need people like them to be there.

They listen, they're not just on their phones looking at their phones.

They listen to us.

Kevin Benedicto, Maddie Scott, and all of those that are on there.

Please re-elect.

Thank you.

Are there any other members of the public who would like to probably public comment on these items?

And if there are any other speakers, please line up to the right of the podium or left.

Good morning, commissioners.

Uh just arrived at City Hall.

Well, I call it Silly Hall.

Um the appointments uh I approve of it.

And I will be uh appearing at the police commissioners this Wednesday next Wednesday to uh ask some favors for the Fillmore Koto ambassadors first annual White Horse Awards that's going to take place on the 19th.

I'm so proud of that historical situation.

So but I'm here supporting whatever commissioners that are here.

I'm sorry, I've just got here, so my name is Ace.

I'm on the case.

I'm the Philmore quota ambassador.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Seeing no other speakers, public comment is now closed.

And I am going to call on first our guest, Supervisor Connie Chan.

Thank you, Chair Walton, and um thank you so much for allowing me to speak uh at this moment, and I just wanted to um really um voice my support uh first for our vice president commission uh vice president commissioner Kevin Benedito for his leadership and for all the work that he has done.

I think he has really approached the work with uh balance approach, uh, understanding that there is uh accountability and public safety.

Uh can they're not mutually exclusive.

We have to make sure that it can be done at the same time, and that's really the responsibility what we want to see um carry out from our commissioners, particularly for our police department.

Um, and second, I again wanted to also voice my support for uh Commissioner uh Maddie Scott.

Thank you so much again for the work.

Um understanding that you know, when they come to this work, it's heartbreaking for her uh and uh on a personal level because of her personal stories and experience.

Uh, but all the more reason why we need someone like her on our police commission uh and be able to understand uh victims of crime and how um what it means to provide that support in her perspective is tremendously critical.

Uh last but not least, uh, I do want to also voice my support and I want to thank Mayor Lurie for uh appointing uh Larry Lowe, uh a very um great attorney that I think that it is important and critical to see someone like him to be on the commission um at this moment, and I also do want to thank uh uh Commissioner Larry E uh for his outgoing uh for his you know work that he has done.

Uh I actually first appointed him as a member of the rules committee.

Uh, for so I just also want to, I know he's not here today, but I just want to be on the record to thank uh Commissioner Larry E for his work.

Uh but absolutely the other Larry, um, Mr.

Larry uh Lowe absolutely is um more than qualified um to be our commissioner um at this moment and to be able to carry out that work uh and carry on that work.

So I just want to come in to the committee and allowing me to speak at this moment.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh allow me to voice my support at the committee level, and I certainly will be voting.

Uh, should you recommend them all three of them today?

I will certainly be voting in support for all of them uh at full board.

Thank you so much, Supervisor Chan.

President Mendelman.

Uh thank you, Chair Walton.

Um, I just want to thank all three of these folks for being willing to serve in um a bit of a pressure cooker of a commission.

Um each of them uh is an extraordinary individual.

Um I want I'll start with uh Commissioner Benedicto, who took some time to talk with me this weekend, um, and thank you for that.

Um, yeah, someone who can have uh the POA, Officers for Justice, and Connected SF all saying nice things about him, is clearly doing outreach in all sorts of places and open to dialogue, and I think that's what we want.

I suspect that I don't agree with every single decision that you've made on the police commission, but I also don't need that from commissioners.

I need people who are going to reflect uh the community the diverse communities of San Francisco and be thoughtful and from everything that I can hear.

That is what uh Kevin Benedicto has done, and he does have a ton of support from lots of different places.

So thank you for being willing to re-up.

Um, Matty Scott.

Uh it's not often that I get to vote for an icon here at the Board of Supervisors.

Um, but uh it's uh it is an honor to be able to do that.

Thank you for your decades of advocacy for turning personal tragedy um into uh work for the broader community and for a better San Francisco and a better world.

And of course, totally happy to support you today.

And then I I thought the comment about which of the Lowe brothers was more attractive was was unnecessary.

These are two extraordinarily attractive men who hail from uh Diamond Heights in District 8.

Um shout out to May Ling um and uh to her to her late husband.

Um it is uh I some I I somehow I have managed to get, speaking of icons, um, some of uh, you know, sort of the the true Chinese American uh iconic figures.

Um of course the district three supervisor gets to claim Chinatown, but I've got some really good ones um in my district and uh and the descendants of some really good ones who grew up in my district, and so of course thank you uh Larry Lowe for um your willingness to serve on this body and joining Alan on some of our very important uh commissions that uh help guide our city.

Um so yeah, I'm very pleased to vote for all these folks.

Thank you, President Mandelman.

And I won't belabor the points made by colleagues, but I will say um I do appreciate everyone here being willing to serve.

Uh we are definitely always at a pivotal time when we have folks that are representing us on the police commission, because there's always things that we're working on, whether it be justice and keeping people safe, whether it be police reform, or whether it be just trying to get more folks to want to participate and become in law enforcement.

It's a big task, a heavy lift.

So thank you all for being willing to serve.

I think Vice Chair, were you trying to say something?

With that said, uh for item number three, I want to go ahead and move forward the appointment, the reappointment of Kevin Michael Benedicto for police commission with the positive recommendation to the full board as a committee report.

Uh yes.

Recommendation of Kevin Benedicto C2.

Recommend it as a committee report.

On that motion.

I'll aye, Member Manelman.

Aye, Madam Minai.

Chair Walton.

I Walton I that motion passes without objection.

Motion carries.

Congratulations.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Uh thank you, Chair Walton.

I would like to make a motion to keep approving and strike rejecting from item number four, uh, sending Lawrence Lowe to the full board with positive recommendation as a committee report.

Thank you so much.

And thank you to all three of the folks here.

Mr.

Clerk on the motion.

Yes, on item number four, uh, the motion to strike rejecting throughout the legislation and recommend the matter as amended as a committee report on that motion.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Cheryl.

Aye, Member Manelman.

Aye.

Walton I that motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Congratulations.

President Mendelman.

Uh for item five, and uh it is my great honor to um uh move that we uh strike rejecting from the legislation and forward the appointment of Son of District eight, Larry Lowe, uh to the full board with positive recommendation as a committee report.

We already deal with the middle.

Oh, oh.

Got you got that.

Then I then I will uh then I am happy to move uh the iconic uh strike for for uh for five uh strike um rejecting and move the appointment of uh Matty Scott uh to the full board with positive recommendation as a committee report.

Thank you on the motion, yes.

On uh item number five, uh move to appoint uh Matty Scott by amending the legislation to delete rejecting throughout the legislation and to recommend it as amended as a committee report.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Aye.

Sure.

Aye, Member Manoman.

Aye.

I chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton.

Aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

And again, thank all of you for your time this morning.

Mr.

Clerk, please call it number six.

Item number six is a motion amending the board of supervisors' rules of order by amending rule one point three point three in-person and remote public comment to conform to the rule with the public comment changes, adding a new rule, rule one point three point four, remote public comment disruption policy to adopt a policy for the board of supervisors to handle disruptions to remote public participation, adding rule one point three point five disorderly conduct by public commenters to codify the procedure around disorderly conduct by public commenters, and amend Rule 3.8 public comment at committee meetings to prohibit committees from limiting the total amount of time for public comment on an item.

Thank you so much.

And this morning we are privileged to have our esteemed clerk here with us.

And you are on Ms.

Cavillo.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Good morning, members of the rules committee.

Uh Mr.

Chair, Angela Calvio.

I'm here today with our legislative deputy Elisa Samara.

Um, and we are here to bring you some expansion of access to the meetings of the Board of Supervisors and specifically the full board meetings.

Uh, and this is pursuant to uh uh a new California Senate bill, SB 707, which requires that beginning July 1st, 2026, the board will begin offering remote public comment at its full board meetings, in addition to in-person commenters.

Um, seven was approved by Governor Newsom and filed with the Secretary of State uh on October 3rd, 2025.

Um the authority specifically slide slide three, we are amending an existing board rule 1.3.

To now allow, in addition to in-person uh comment, remote participation, and I want to just stress that a public comment, uh remote public comment will not occur in committee just at the full board of supervisors.

Um with the inclusion of remote public comment at the full board, there is also a requirement for the board to approve a disruption policy, whether it is the system that fails or with a remote speaker that is disruptive to the uh proceedings.

This will uh allow for if there is a technical disruption, then the board of supervisors would have to recess the meeting.

Number one, we would work with our partner departments to make a good faith effort to restore the remote comment system, but pursuant to SB 707, one hour would have to go by.

Uh and if services could not then be restored, the board could reconvene the meeting simply by a verbal motion uh with the majority of the members present.

I may uh just stating that a good faith attempt was made and that continuing the meeting would outweigh the public interest in the remote public access.

Uh on slide six, this uh also indicates that 707 uh expands the existing authority of a presiding officer to remove a remote public speaker if they were to disrupt the proceedings.

Uh currently, the California government code already allows the removal of an individual for disrupting a meeting, but the new uh rule that we have suggested language in uh 1.3.5, which would codify the board's authority to remove a disorderly public commenter in conjunction with our existing rule 1.7 to allow a disruptive individual to be removed from the uh currently one 1.7 allows for an in-person commenter to be removed for disrupting the proceedings.

This new language would with a warning to the speaker, then if they continue to disrupt the proceedings, uh the clerk, the presiding officer, or any other member of the board could recommend that we move on to the next speaker.

Uh additionally, SB 707 allows a member of the public to address the full legislative body on certain items that were previously considered by a committee.

If the legislative body has not adopted a law that prohibits the committee from placing a limit on the total amount of time for public comment on an item, and we are revising board rule 3.8.

Since there is no current rule that would allow a committee to limit the total amount of time allotted for public comment, nor does do committees at this time practice this limitation.

The revised rule, we have suggested language there would establish the prohibition to limit the total amount of time.

Codifying the prohibition will continue the practice that the work happens in committee and the full board meetings will continue to exclude the public comment on matters that have already been heard in committee.

So the um SB 707 is bringing some much needed changes to allow remote public commerce commenters to come to the full board of supervisors and comment.

We provided some in the motion contained in number six, we've provided some language that we think would codify how to remove a disruptive commenter in conjunction with the city attorney's office, so that that could be done properly.

I know, Mr.

President, you have some concerns that we continue that practice to maintain a proper procedure and how we're going to remove speakers when they are disruptive.

Uh, in addition to how we're gonna handle the system, should the system go down, and how much time would have to go by uh pursuant to SB 707 before we could restart the meeting?

Um I'm available for any questions and I want to just thank thank Alisa Samara for her assistance in putting this this uh plan together.

Thank you both.

Madam Clerk, uh Supervisor Sherrill.

Uh thank you, Chair Walden.

Um Madam Clerk, first of all, thank you for your work on this.

Um thank you for your work on this.

Um I just had a couple questions.

Um, do we have to adopt this policy by July first, or does the policy have to be in place by July 1st?

This policy has to be adopted by July 1st.

We are also starting the procedure beginning July 1st.

And we need to start the procedure by July 1st, or that's correct.

Okay, great.

Um, towards the end, and this is me just kind of struggling to just read and I want to make sure I understand.

Um, in terms of allowing members of the public to address the full legislative body on certain items previously considered by a committee.

Are we suggesting here that we are gonna adopt a rule that says if previously discussed in committee, then not eligible for full board?

That's correct.

That's also the current practice.

Right.

And that great.

And then is there also a time limit for total public comment that we can place on it in committee or that's or no?

No, that that is currently not prohibited.

Back in the old days, it used to be when I was a legislative aid, it is not currently prohibited now.

Is that something that could be considered here locally?

That is, we it's can you just clarify what what is contained in the motion before you with the suggested language?

I just want to make sure I remember that.

So certainly.

So currently in committee, um there is the opportunity for the members of the public to come currently and with SB 707 in person and soon remotely.

The committee would have to hear all of that public comment and not adopt any rules that minimize how long the public comment portion of the meeting would continue.

That currently that's how it currently is, but we are now codifying that there would be no opportunity for the board to minimize that time frame in this language.

That would allow for the board to not hear items that were currently in committee again at the full board of supervisors meeting.

Got it.

So it would it just codify the current practice.

So theoretically we would have a choice limited public comment at committee, but then it would be eligible to come back.

Or unlimited a committee and then not eligible to come back to the board.

And we're choosing unlimited a committee, not eligible for full.

That's right.

Great.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

President Mendelman.

Thank you, Chair Walton.

Um I want to thank the clerk.

Um Clerk Calvio and um and uh Alisa, thank you for um your work on this.

I'm not thrilled about this legislation from the state.

I don't believe that they subject themselves to similar uh requirements for remote public comment.

Um and I do think that we saw some pretty nasty expressions of it uh in the COVID and post-COVID era where um people who don't have to show their faces um you know uh call in and say all sorts of things without any repercussions.

Um we also, you know, another concern I have about remote public comment is it sort of you know opens the door to comment from people who may have no particular connection to San Francisco except an interest in the issue and their ability to you know dial in from wherever in the world they may live to um to try and engage in you know our political process I think the state legislature has made this decision for us.

I think you have thoughtfully tried to um put as many guardrails up around this as you can, and it's it is more guardrails than we had during pandemic when we were getting unlimited public comment, remote public comment in committee, and then um also dealing with it uh uh at full board.

Um and so I think um you know the either-or choice that you're presenting is.

Yes, through the chair to Mr.

President.

Yeah.

The guardrail specifically here is one requirement to curb comments to bring them around.

Otherwise, we we will move on to the next speaker.

Yeah.

Thanks for your work.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

So a couple of questions.

This one for the city attorney.

What happens if we reject this policy?

Deputy City Attorney Brad Russie.

Um the board to adopt the disruption policy, the what happens when the remote system um becomes ineffective or whatever.

So you the board has to have a remote public comment on July 1st under state law, and the board has to adopt the policy, that part portion of this policy by July 1st.

And let me ask the question again.

What happens if we don't do any of that?

Then there would be risk of um liability for not complying with state law.

Do we know what those risks are?

I could this is a question that I would need to talk to you about confidentially rather than in a public meeting.

I would I would love to know what those risks are and have that conversation.

Um going back to President Mendelman's point.

Our state legislature does not follow these same rules.

Um, and so I don't even I mean obviously according to the advice I'm getting from you, they can legally subject us to something that they don't have to adhere to, which I I just don't believe that that makes any sense.

But I would love to know what the consequences are for us conducting the same meetings the way that they do.

Um and then as I read this, looking at slide three, and it says we'll provide remote public comment as well as in-person public comment, but it doesn't specifically say for everyone or for who.

So it says that.

That's right.

That's not what I'm reading.

Okay.

Um and then the last thing for me, it's not really about, I mean, we we we're gonna deal with things that people say that sometimes we don't like, sometimes are inappropriate, um, sometimes are disrespectful.

I consider most of that part of the job.

So that's not my biggest concern.

But this is not a theoretical statement for me.

This is actually what happened in practice.

We have sat in this chamber past two in the morning, hearing public comment remotely from people who are in other countries, and check correct me if I'm wrong, they can't even donate to us or they can't even participate in our political process.

But they can call in from Germany, they can call in from France to make public comment and and I just don't understand how that's legal and how that can actually happen, and how you can subject this local body to people who have no interest in what takes place in our city to be able to call in and make public comment.

And if it were up to me, I would reject it personally and find out you know what the consequence is.

Like what it was the state gonna do.

They're gonna they're gonna what can they do to us for not following that?

I would love to know what that consequence is because it's unjust.

Uh it's not something that they have to adhere to, and I don't believe anybody elected to the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco should have to be subject to public comment for people from other countries.

I think I can provide a little bit of flavor of what the risk would be, because it's not just the state that has an issue with this.

It would be a member of the public who was denied access to provide remote public comment could file a lawsuit under the Brown Act against the city, which we'd have to defend.

If they are successful, we would probably have to pay attorney's fees in that case.

So that's likely what the situation would be if this weren't uh, yeah, and and I think that that's why I want clarity on the what it says because denying is one thing, but not making it just readily available for the world is another.

And those are two different things for me, because I think there are things you can put in place to not deny people, um, but at the same time, ensure that we don't have people from anywhere just calling in, making public comment.

Um, um, uh in short, like yes, like complete agreement with everything you just said.

Um and I think the point that you brought up about we do provide an opportunity for remote public comment for people who need it.

And I I think that's one thing I'd like certainty around also if people request accommodation, we give them accommodation, and it just makes sure that people aren't willy-nilly like, oh, I want to screw around here and just be a jerk.

I think if people and and I mean I'm I I think my question would be if we provide the ability for remote public comment, like look, it's like vote by mail, right?

Like if we're providing people with the accommodation, they just gotta they just gotta say, hey, need an accommodation, thanks is that possible does it have to be a disability does it like what is the you know what is that level of accommodation or is it just a free for all because I think you said it better than I could so I won't double down but that would be some of my question what can we do to make sure that people aren't just sitting here listening to junk until 2 a.m.

Unfortunately under the state law remote public comment is the board is required now to provide remote public comment it doesn't have to they don't have to have any basis in uh disability accommodation and the the people who are allowed to provide remote com public comment just like they would if they were to come here in person so the same rules will apply to them they'd have to speak on topic on some you know within the board's jurisdiction if it's if it's general public comment and um as the clerk already mentioned there is the rule about uh disruptive remote public comment if it meets that threshold then the person could be removed or from the meeting from the remote meeting or you know you can move on to the next speaker.

But it sounds sorry madam it sounds like there's nothing to preempt us with putting rules in place like technically you're supposed to fill out a speaker card so can we put something in place to where you have to put in a speaker card like there's nothing that preempts us from from doing that that you have said in this meeting yet.

The I think that the speaker card question is uh is a practice of the board but that's not something that the state law requires of a speaker or the sunshine ordinance requires of a speaker.

I agree with required and what's not required what I'm talking about is what is not in the law that allows us as a local body to set our own rules and I would love to know what that could look like because it seems like unless it's preempted in in the legislation which I'm not sure that it is seems like we should be able to say that to call in you have to do ABC and D but I would love for advice on that as we move forward.

I mean that's something that we can look into we've already vetted this rule this is what's required and so that's the advice.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk to the chair and supervisor Sherrill and on this topic uh we were toying with the idea of if we had the proper technology could we get individuals to sign up in advance if they wanted remote public comment access that they would give us some identifying feature.

We understand that when you come in person you do not need to provide your name or any identifying feature but I think it might be certainly something to explore the remote system is different.

We noticed that a lot of individuals as you stated Mr.

Chair essentially they like the anonymity of the feature and but if there was an opportunity for them to sign up for it with some type of identifying feature a phone number um a name something like that signing up the Friday before something like that we would l appreciate if the city attorney's office could check into something like that.

I appreciate that I think that should be an order we I mean we have to vote on this and obviously we have to adhere to state law but I would love to know what we can do as a body to make sure that this is most productive for the public as well as for the folks who have to actually follow the rules thank you so much.

Thank you.

So I believe this is a time where we would take some kind of action on this um I'm not making a motion to do anything.

Oh I'm sorry let me call for let me call for well we can still recommend action, but let's take public comment on this item.

Yes, members of the public who wish to speak on this item I almost members of the public wish to speak on this item, should I need to speak at this time?

Are there any members of the public who would like to comment on this matter?

There are no members of the public in the room.

Thank you so much.

Seeing no speakers, public comment is now closed.

President Mendelman I mean, I know we all hate this, but I do think we need to get it out of committee.

So I'm willing to make the the motion to move this motion to the full board.

If folks would like to do it without recommendation, I'm happy to do it that way.

Okay.

Um so I think whatever your pleasure is, Mr.

President.

Then uh I will move it before this to the full board with positive recommendation.

And just real quick, um, and you've made the motion, but I I do want to ask, and I I see you suppressor.

The timeline for this, we have to it would have to be voted on, approved, and go into law before July 1, correct?

Yes, that's right.

But uh a motion is effective um on the day of the if if it's approved by the full board, it would be effective on the day of the meeting at the end of the meeting.

So there's no like a period of waiting time before it becomes a continue and wait for some more answers.

Okay.

That's I was gonna ask the same question.

Okay.

I'll retract my motion.

Thank you so much, Mr.

President.

And I move that we continue this to the call of the chair.

Mr.

Clerk on that motion.

Yes, on the motion to continue the matter to the call of the chair.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Cheryl.

I member Mandelman.

Aye.

Mandelman, aye, Chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Thank you, Madam Clerk, and of course, uh Alisa and uh City Attorney Rusty.

Um do we have any more items before this body?

That completes the agenda for today.

Thank you.

We are adjourned.