Contact:
John St. Croix
(415) 252-3100
For release: October 19, 2010
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN AT OCTOBER 18, 2010 MEETING
At its meeting on October 18, 2010, the San Francisco Ethics Commission:
- Adopted several amendments to Section 1.126 of the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code in order to reduce confusion and enhance enforcement capability, including language stating that:
- Section 1.126 does not apply to grants or contracts with nonprofit organizations and other governmental agencies or constitutional corporations (adopted 5-0).
- Section 1.126 only applies to local elected officials and their boards or commissions, not to State agencies consisting of members appointed by local elected officials (adopted 4-1).
- Section 1.126 only applies to contracts that are worth at least $100,000, instead of $50,000 (adopted 5-0).
- Streamlining reporting requirements so that all elected officials who must approve a contract are included on the same form (adopted 5-0).
- Section 1.126 requires contractors to notify members of their board of directors and other affiliated persons about the contribution ban within ten business days of entering contract negotiations with the City, not before negotiations commence (adopted 5-0).
- Section 1.126 allows elected officers to authorize another person to file reports on their behalf (adopted 5-0).
These amendments will become effective only if approved by at least a two-thirds vote of all members of the Board of Supervisors.
- Discussed, but did not adopt, proposed changes to Section 3.216(d) of the Government Ethics Ordinance (GEO) that would have changed the deadline for elective officials who must report gifts of out-of-state travel.
- Adopted, by a 4-1 vote, a change to Section 3.216(b)-5 of the Government Ethics Ordinance dealing with the restricted source gift bans. The language clarifies that all gift cards and gift certificates are to be treated as cash under this section of the ordinance.
- Approved, by a 5-0 vote, the minutes of the meeting of September 13, 2010.
The Commission’s next scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, November 8, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. in Room 408 City Hall.
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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.
S:\Commission\Meeting Summaries\2010\10.18.doc