Ethics staff deliver proposed gift-training ballot measure to elections; commission reviews outreach and draft regulations

San Francisco Ethics Commission staff told commissioners on Sept. 8 that they have delivered the commission-approved ballot measure on gift training and related ethics laws to the Department of Elections and are preparing public materials and initial draft regulations for the commission to consider.

"Since the last meeting, staff have delivered the commission's approved ballot measure to the department of elections and worked with the chair to issue a press release regarding the measure submission," Acting Policy and Legislative Affairs Manager Michael Kenny said, noting staff have also informed the mayor's office and Department of Public Health about amendments made at the commission’s prior meeting.

Kenny said staff are developing factual materials for voters and have begun preliminary drafting of regulations tied to a provision referenced as section 3.218; drafts and potential ballot arguments will come before the commission in the coming months.

Commissioners asked whether the mayor's office or other stakeholders had proposed substantive changes to the measure. Kenny replied he had not heard specific proposals and that conversations about a removed financial-interest rule had moved to related legislation introduced by Supervisor Safai.

An assistant city attorney advised commissioners that urging the public generally to vote—without referencing a specific measure or candidate—would likely be permissible for commissioners acting as private citizens, but cautioned that commenting about this measure could be perceived as endorsement under charter restrictions and the commission's political-activities rules.

Public commenters urged clearer standards in the ballot language: caller Francisco de Costa said the public "do not have the latest amendments" and asked for standards on how departments receive orientation and how department heads are evaluated; caller David Pilpel praised staff professionalism and asked staff to post the presentation slides online.

Staff said the slide presentation would be posted on the commission website by the end of the day, and the commission indicated draft regulations and ballot-argument drafts will be returned for review before the measure proceeds.