Contact: LeeAnn Pelham, Executive Director (415) 252-3100
Subject: Summary of Actions Taken and Matters Discussed by Ethics Commission at its April 18, 2018 Special Meeting
At a Special Meeting of the Ethics Commission in Room 416 in City Hall on April 18, 2018, with Commissioners Daina Chiu, Paul Renne, Quentin Kopp, Yvonne Lee, and Kevin V. Ryan in attendance and a quorum present, the San Francisco Ethics Commission discussed the following matters and took the following actions:
- Welcomed Kevin V. Ryan on his April 16, 2018 swearing-in as the Commission’s newest member.
- Took general public comment on matters appearing or not appearing on the meeting agenda.
- After receiving public comment, voted 4-1 (Kopp dissenting) to elect Vice-Chair Daina Chiu as Chair of the Commission for the term ending February 2019, and voted 5-0 to elect Quentin Kopp as Vice Chair for the coming year.
- Considered its Anti-Corruption and Accountability Ordinance, as amended on April 3, 2018 at the Ethics Commission Special Joint Meeting with the Board of Supervisors to amend the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code to institute campaign finance and conflict of interest reforms (see Board of Supervisors File No. 180280). Following a brief presentation by Staff on the April 12, 2018 Ethics Commission Staff Report, and attachments, and after receiving public comment, the Commission took the following actions on amendments proposed by Commission Members:
- Approved, on a vote of 4 to 1 with Commissioner Kopp in the dissent, a motion by Commissioner Renne and seconded by Commissioner Lee to accept the Ordinance as amended by the Board of Supervisors on April 3, 2018, with further amendments recommended in the Staff report and during the Staff presentation.
- Approved unanimously a motion by Commissioner Kopp and seconded by Commissioner Chiu to amend language on page 7, lines 8-9 of the Ordinance draft to include the office of the City elective officer (as well as that person’s name) in required disclosures.
- Failed to approve a motion by Commissioner Kopp and seconded by Commissioner Renne to reinsert a conflict of interest provision addressing behested payments requested by a City official into the Ordinance. The motion failed on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioners Chiu, Renne, Lee, and Ryan voting “no.”
- Failed to approve a motion by Commissioner Kopp and seconded by Commissioner Renne to allow plaintiffs bringing civil actions to enforce against violations of the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code to receive 25% of penalties collected in a civil action brought by a resident. The motion failed on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioners Chiu, Renne, Lee, and Ryan voting “no.”
- Approved a motion by Commissioner Renne and seconded by Commissioner Lee to approve the Ordinance as amended by the Commission and return it to the Board of Supervisors for final adoption. The motion was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Kopp voting “no.”
- Received no further public comment on matters appearing or not appearing on the agenda pursuant to Ethics Commission Bylaws Article VII Section 2.
- Voted 5-0 to approve a motion to adjourn the meeting made by Commissioner Kopp and seconded by Commissioner Ryan and adjourned at 2:58 p.m.
The next Regular Meeting of the Ethics Commission will take place on Friday, April 20, 2018, in Room 416 of City Hall beginning at 3:30 pm.
Draft Minutes for the Commission’s April 18 and April 20th meetings will be available upon their completion and will be included on the Agenda for the Commission’s next following Regular Meeting on May 7, 2018. For further information, please feel free to contact the Ethics Commission at (415) 252-3100.