Supervisor Avalos introduces overhaul to streamline campaign finance rules and disclosures

Supervisor Avalos introduced a package on March 24 to streamline and update San Francisco’s Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance (CFRO), which he said has become a patchwork of overlapping rules that can undermine transparency and discourage grassroots participation.

Avalos said the legislation has three primary goals: remove local contribution limits that recent court decisions have rendered unenforceable; consolidate and streamline reporting requirements for third-party groups that distribute election-related ads or mailers; and simplify and strengthen disclaimer rules so voters can more easily see who is paying for communications.

Specific provisions Avalos described include removing local contribution limits in light of judicial decisions (he cited the Supreme Court's McCutcheon v. FEC decision and a Northern District of California injunction against certain PAC limits), requiring third-party groups spending $1,000 or more during the 90‑day pre-election period to file reports with the Ethics Commission, and mandating larger-font disclaimers (12‑point) on mass mailers and smaller printed materials, a $20,000 threshold for disclosing top donors, and a required reference to information on the Ethics Commission website.

"The CFRO should promote inclusion, not discourage neighborhood groups from participating," Avalos said, explaining that the changes are intended to make disclosure easier for voters and to reduce the compliance burden on grassroots organizations. He said the ethics commission had passed the changes unanimously in January and thanked its executive director John Saint Croix.

The legislation was introduced and is expected to return for committee referral and further consideration by the board and administrative offices.