Supervisor Wiener introduces ordinance to require modesty and cover public seating and restaurants for health reasons

Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced legislation at Tuesday's board meeting that would require individuals who are naked in public to take steps to protect public seating and would prohibit nudity inside establishments whose primary business is selling food. Wiener said the measure is intended to address public-health and courtesy concerns and does not attempt to resolve broader debates about whether public nudity should be broadly allowed or banned.

Wiener said the legislation would require that if a person is naked and sits on public seating they must place a covering beneath themselves. The ordinance also would require that patrons cover themselves when entering restaurants whose primary business is the sale of food. "This legislation does not go there. That's a different debate for a different day," Wiener said, explaining the measure focuses on basic courtesy and sanitary concerns. "If you are naked in public this legislation would require that if you sit down on public seating, you have to cover the seating."

Wiener said he introduced the item for discussion and looked forward to further conversation with colleagues and the public. The Board did not take a vote on the measure at the meeting; Wiener said he "look forward to the conversation about this legislation."