City and County of San Francisco
Ethics Commission

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:                                                                                               For release:

John St. Croix                                                                                    

August 9, 2005

(415) 581-2300

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN AT AUGUST 8, 2005 MEETING

At its regular meeting on

August 8, 2005

 , the San Francisco Ethics Commission took the following action:

• Voted 5-0 to support legislation proposed by Supervisor Peskin to amend the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code to apply the conflict of interest laws to members of the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board and to extend the application of such laws to members of all advisory boards who are required to file Statements of Economic Interests.    
• Approved by a 5-0 vote proposed amendments to the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance related to the statutes of limitations.  These amendments, along with technical amendments adopted at the 

  August 4, 2005

   special meeting, will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.    

• Approved Regulations 1.134-1 and 1.134-2 related to forms used to notify the Ethics Commission when a candidate or committee has made $5,000 in expenditures.
• Approved by a 4-1 vote amendments to Regulation 3.234-4(a)(3), 3.224-2(b) and 2-234-4(b) to require two calendar weeks’ notice for the Commission to consider requests for waivers from the compensated advocacy and post employment restrictions; and to Regulations 3.224-2(c) and 3.234-4(c) to eliminate the authority of the Executive Director to consider waiver requests.
• Approved amendments to the Commission’s Regulations for Investigations and Enforcement Proceedings to state explicitly that the Executive Director may provide a public summary of dismissed complaints, provided that such summary shall comply with the confidentiality requirements of the Charter; and to set forth explicitly the requirements and procedures by which the Commission approves settlements.      
• Continued its deliberations on proposed amendments to the regulation of electioneering communications. 

The next regular meeting of Commission will be held on

Monday, September 12, 2005

 , at 

5:30 p.m.

 in Room 408 City Hall.  The Commission will hold a special meeting on September 19 at 

6:00 p.m.

 in Room 408 City Hall on amendments to the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance.  Due to the holiday on October 10, the Commission’s October meeting will beheld on October 17 in Room 408 City Hall at

6:00 p.m.

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The Ethics Commission, established in November 1993, serves the public, City employees and officials and candidates for public office through education and enforcement of ethics laws.  Its duties include:  filing and auditing of campaign finance disclosure statements, lobbyist and campaign consultant registration and regulation, administration of the public financing program, whistleblower program, conflict of interest reporting, investigations and enforcement, education and training, advice giving and statistical reporting.                                                                                                                                                                                    

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