Summary and Action Requested
This memo provides an overview of the Commission’s legislation amending Sections 1.161 and 1.162 of the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code (C&GCC) to update the website address referenced in campaign and electioneering communication disclaimer requirements to reflect the Ethics Commission’s upcoming change to a new web domain.
Staff recommend the Commission review, discuss, and approve the legislation as drafted in Attachment 1.
Background
In June of 2025, the Policy Division presented a series of recommendations stemming from the Commission’s ongoing streamlining project. The project evaluated various programs and policies administered by the Commission to determine if they are effective, efficient, add value to the City, and furthering the Commission’s mission of promoting the highest standards of integrity in government.
The streamlining project made recommendations that would scale back certain programs and policies, streamline and simplify various processes, and make important updates to the City’s rules. This led to the creation of three ordinances, two of which would amend the Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code. These two ordinances require joint approval by supermajorities of both the Board of Supervisors and the Ethics Commission. In September 2025, the Commission unanimously (5-0) approved the two ordinances (File No. 250867 and File No. 250868).
Following the Commission’s approval, the ordinances underwent an extensive year-long engagement process with the Board of Supervisors and other stakeholders to advance the legislation. The legislation was not scheduled for a hearing at the Rules Committee from October 2025 through May 2026. The legislation was then moved to the Government Audit and Oversight Committee (GAO) and scheduled for a hearing earlier this year. In July 2026, Ethics staff presented at GAO where all three ordinances were considered and subsequently continued for potential future action. None of the ordinances have been rescheduled for further consideration, however it is likely the ordinance regarding trustee election reporting requirements will be heard again at GAO in September (File No. 250928).
As the timing and overall future of the streamlining ordinances is uncertain, the legislation before the Commission today takes one of the recommendations from the existing ordinances and spins it out into its own standalone ordinance. The legislation contains the amendments regarding disclaimer requirements from the campaign finance ordinance that the Commission approved in September 2025 as part of the streamlining project (File No. 250868).
This recommendation is being advanced as separate legislation to allow the Commission to prepare for an upcoming website domain transition that is required under State law and is time sensitive. While the streamlining ordinances may have a path forward, it is possible they will be further delayed or amended as Staff continue to engage with the Board of Supervisors and other stakeholders. While stakeholders have raised concerns regarding other aspects of the streamlining legislation, no concerns have been raised regarding the disclaimer changes. Separating out disclaimer updates is intended to allow these non-controversial, but time-sensitive changes to move forward in a more expeditious manner.
Recommendations & Legislation
In 2027, the Ethics Commission will discontinue the use of sfethics.org to comply with changes in State law that will require cities and counties move to websites under a “.ca.gov” domain by January 1, 2029, per AB 1637 (2023).
Currently, Sections 1.161 and 1.162 of the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code require campaign advertisements and electioneering communications to include the statement, “Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.” Given that the Ethics Commission will soon transition to a different web domain, the web address referenced in disclaimer language will no longer be applicable when the new domain becomes active. To implement this required change, the proposed legislation replaces the outdated website reference and ensures the disclaimers remain accurate following the Commission’s domain transition.
This ordinance making this change is provided as Attachment 1. The legislative digest for this ordinance is provided as Attachment 2. This legislation would enact the following changes:
- Amend Article I, Chapter 1 – Section 1.161 by changing the text in subsections (a)(2) and (a)(4) to replace “sfethics.org” with “__________(insert the website address designated by the Ethics Commission).”
- Amend Article I, Chapter 1 – Section 1.162 by changing the text of subsection (a)(1) to replace “sfethics.org” with “__________(insert the website address designated by the Ethics Commission).”
This change away from a specific web address being included in the Code will allow the Commission to designate its new web address for inclusion in disclaimers when the old address is discontinued next year. Not having a specific web address in the Code will also enable any future web address changes to be made by the Commission, without the need for additional legislation.
There have been minor formatting adjustments made in this legislation to be consistent with other parts of the Code, but the core amendments to the disclaimer requirements are the same as those the Commission approved last September (File No. 250868).
Next Steps
Staff recommend the Commission vote to approve the ordinance as drafted in Attachment 1. This ordinance requires supermajority approval from both the Ethics Commission and the Board of Supervisors to be enacted. If approved by the Commission, the ordinance will then be introduced at the Board of Supervisors, where President Mandelman plans to sponsor the legislation. If the ordinance is approved by the Board of Supervisors without substantive amendments or significant delays, it could be operative in early 2027, before the Commission’s web domain is updated.
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Draft Legislation on Website Disclaimer Requirements
Attachment 2: Legislative Digest on Website Disclaimer Requirements