Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the April 13th, 2026 rules committee meeting.

I am your chair, Supervisor Shaman Watson, joined by Vice Chair Stephen Sherrow and President Rafael Mandelman.

Today's clerk is Victor Young, and I want to thank Seuss Inhos from SFGov TV for making sure that this meeting is publicized and available to the public.

Mr.

Clerk, you have any announcements?

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 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 N G at SFgov.org.

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

San Francisco, California, 94102.

Please make sure to sign us all cell phones and electronic devices.

Items to act upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of April 21st, unless otherwise stated.

That completes my initial announcements.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

Please call item number one.

Item number one is a resolution affirming the importance of keeping the independence civilian oversight of the San Francisco Police Commission.

Thank you.

And colleagues, you know, this item was forwarded and continued to this week to discuss amendments and concerns that colleagues had about the resolution.

This resolution is in place to really affirm that this board of supervisors supports independent oversight of the police department, which is really in line with what the field is even across the country.

I know there were concerns from uh President Mandelman, and I don't agree with supporting his amendments.

I would love to move this forward without recommendation, like we always have when this body doesn't necessarily agree.

There are five co-sponsors for this.

We only have 10 members who are currently actively serving on the board, and I don't think it's fair that we don't allow this to go to the board and let everyone say how they feel about independent oversight.

And my colleagues may support the amendments and may want to move them forward, and that can definitely happen at a full board of supervisors meeting.

President Mandelman.

Thank you for your consideration of my amendments.

What I take to be the main point of this resolution.

And I absolutely can vote for and support a resolution for that.

And as I said at our last meeting, insofar as we are contemplating uh amendments to the charter this year, I have no intention of including in those the uh proposed changes to the disciplinary process that uh was recommended by the Proppy Task Force.

So I think there's consensus around that.

Um there are some things in this resolution that particularly as we are working through charter reform this year, as the mayor has three measures out in the field that his supporters are trying to get signatures for, and as we think about the additional, frankly, I think modest but important um uh proposals that I'm gonna be putting forward.

Um, I am not okay voting for or encouraging the board of supervisors to uh to say that we do not support the mayor having higher fire authority over the chief of police.

Um I think that uh in light of the history of the last few years, um it is a quirk of our of our existing charter that the uh mayor of the city and county of San Francisco, who is the chief executive, can lose the ability to sit to uh direct policy uh and can have a majority of the police commission not agreeing with that person's position, and a not be able to do anything about that, or that body's positions, not be able to do anything about that, and not be able to be sure that if a vacancy arises in the position of the chief, that the mayor is gonna have people put forward for his or her consideration that are someone he that include at least one person that he or she would want to hire as chief.

There is language in here that suggests that uh this board opposes that change in the mayor's um in the in the mayor's proposed charter amendment, and I don't support that, can't vote for it, can't put it forward.

Um that is the main disagreement that I have.

There's also lurking in here a little conversation.

I mean, as I said, absolutely independent, disciplinary disciplinary authority.

Uh I can agree with not making changes uh that would transfer or compromise anything about that or oversight without a lot of process that we're certainly not going to be able to do this year, can support all of that.

But that was sort of the nature of the changes.

I generally don't believe in trying to like co-opt my colleagues legislative I mean, not that I'm promising to never do this, but if if the author would rather have this voted down here, um I I don't need to introduce these amendments and make them and try to make them over the author's objections.

I'm not gonna do that.

Um, but I'm not gonna vote to forward this as is.

Thank you, President Mandelman.

I will say that one, there are three members on this committee.

Um if you want to vote on these amendments, I I would take that better as, because you're kind of talking out of both sides of your mouth.

You don't want to force the amendments on me, but you won't let me send it out without recommendation.

So you have options to do.

Um, President Mandelman, I'm sorry.

I mean, I guess I would like some direction from the author.

Uh I understand you don't like either of the options that I I'm proposing two bad options, uh, both of which the chair disagrees with.

I want this board to make a decision to say that we want to affirm independent oversight of the police commission.

Okay.

Well, then I will take that uh and tell me if I'm wrong here.

Um I'm I am gonna move these amendments after public comment.

Um I anticipate the chair will vote no because I don't think the chair thinks that these are good amendments, but that will get the basic thrust of the resolution to the full board of supervisors with the um arguably objectionable amendments in them.

So that's that's what I'll do.

Thank you, President Madeline.

And I would say I don't necessarily a hundred percent disagree with whether or not the mayor should or should not have the ability to fire and hire a police chief.

Uh, but I don't think that's what we're deciding in this resolution, even if statements are made as you know, resolutions aren't binding.

And I think sometimes my colleagues act like they are when they when it um makes their points, but I'll leave that at that.

But with that said, uh Mr.

Clerk, please call for public comment.

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

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

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

There are no speakers on this matter.

Thank you so much.

Seeing no public speakers, public comment is now closed.

President Melman.

Thank you, Chair Walton.

Uh I will move uh the amendments that have been circulated to the offices and that I've just given out.

Thank you, President Mendelman.

Mr.

Clerk on the motion.

On the motion uh on the amendment, Vice Chair Sherrill.

Sheryl, aye.

Member Madelman.

I mean aye.

Chair Walton.

No.

Walton, no.

That motion passes with Chair Walton uh voting no.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

And Mr.

Clerk, I'd like to move this forward.

I would like to make a motion to move this forward with the amendments to the full board.

Uh recommended recommendation.

Recommended as amended.

Correct.

On the motion to uh recommend as amended.

Vice Chair Sherrill.

Cheryl.

Chair.

Aye.

Member Madam and Madeline Aye.

Madam and I.

Chair Walton.

Aye.

Chair Walton, aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Mr.

Clerk, please call item number two.

Item number two.

Is the ordinance mending the health code to authorize employees of the tourist hotels or the labor organization that represents those employees to file civil lawsuits against tourist hotels or operators for violations of certain cleaning and disease prevention standards and practices required in tourist hotels and authorizing courts to impose appropriate legal and equitable relief, including civil penalties against defendants and any such lawsuits.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Clerk.

Um I believe that the author of this legislation would like for us to continue this item.

So I will continue this item to our next rules committee.

Well, I'll make a motion to continue this item to our next rules committee after public comment.

Yes, members of the public who wish to speak on this item.

She line up to speak at this time.

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

Are there any speakers on this item?

Good morning, members of the committee.

Cynthia Gomez Unite Here Local 2, the Hotel Workers Union having some difficulty with the mic.

There we go.

So I understand this item is being uh can proposed for continuance, so we'll make very similar remarks at that time.

But these amendments are necessary amendments to the healthy buildings ordinance.

Tourism, to quote uh Mayor Daniel Lurie, is the number one industry in San Francisco.

Our industry has spent years recovering from the damage done during the worst days of the pandemic, and it is vital that we continue that recovery.

A crucial piece of maintaining traveler confidence is maintaining trust that our hotels are the safest, cleanest place where anyone can meet, sleep, and eat.

An essential step in maintaining that is amendments for the daily um the healthy buildings ordinance was an essential step, and these requirements ensure that San Francisco hotel rooms and spaces are the cleanest in the country.

There are, however, some hotel operators that have found ways to evade enforcement.

This particular set of amendments will allow for private right of action so that workers and worker organizations can enforce this ordinance.

These amendments do not change the requirements of the Healthy Buildings ordinance, which has been the law for nearly six years, and they in no way hurt hotels.

Adding extra enforcement powers will actually help those hotels that have already been in full compliance with the law because those properties have had to compete with those hotels that have been cutting corners by not fully complying.

These amendments are necessary to ensure that our hotel rooms continue to deliver the standard that visitors expect and that our and ensure that our tourism economy continues to recover at the pace that is needed, given the critical importance of tourism spending and hotel taxes to the health of our city's economy and budget.

We look forward to discussing this when this item is returned.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other speakers if you would line up to the left of the podium, all right?

I mean, you're right.

Good morning, supervisors.

Thank you so much for uh taking on this important matter.

My name is Alex Bastion.

I'm the CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco.

And it's important to note that the healthy buildings ordinance was first brought up during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.

Uh, there were some very unknown moments there for all of us.

And um, you know, this particular ordinance before it's uh in front of you as a supersized ordinance was brought on again during that incredibly unknowing, like crazy time in our lives.

And um, you know, since that time, we no longer are in a pandemic.

Um, instead of doing away with the ordinance, it is now being looked at at supersizing it and uh enhancing it.

And this couldn't come at a worse time, by the way.

When when I walk through the hotels myself, I noticed the hotel's cleaner than 99% of the homes anyone has here.

I look at the hotel rooms as incredibly clean and safe.

Why?

It's good for business too.

And and I have a lot of faith and confidence, not only in the management of the hotels, but also the employees of the hotels.

They do an incredible job.

Um, I would implore upon all of you to go check them out yourself.

Do a staycation.

Go see for yourself how clean the hotel rooms really are.

How clean the hotel lobbies really are.

And you know, it's it's about making sure that the city comes back better and stronger than before.

If we really want the tax base to grow, we need to make sure that the hotels can thrive again.

We're so proud of the work that we do as a hotel space.

We're so proud of the tens of thousands of jobs that are created.

But in order for us to fully come back, we need to make sure that the hotels are thriving.

And this legislation does the opposite of that.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Are there any other speakers on this matter?

There are no additional speakers.

Thank you.

Seeing no additional speakers, public comment is now closed.

And Mr.

Clerk, I would like to make a motion actually to continue this item to the call of the chair.

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

On that motion.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

And I'd like to make a motion to move this item forward to the full board with recommendation after we have public comment.

Yes, members of the public wish to speak on this item.

Shall I speak at this time?

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

Are there any members of the public for public comment on this matter?

There are no speakers on this matter.

Thank you.

Public comment is now closed.

Mr.

Clerk on the motion.

Yes, on the motion to uh recommend.

Vice Chair Cheryl.

Cheryl Aye.

Member Madaman.

Mountain aye.

Chair Walton.

Aye.

Walton, aye.

That motion passes without objection.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

Mr.

Clerk, are there any more items?

That completes today's agenda.

Thank you.

We are adjourned.