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Supervisors approve municipal ID ordinance on first reading after debate over costs and uses
Summary
The board approved an ordinance to authorize the county clerk to issue municipal identification cards to San Francisco residents, sparking debate about costs, service uses and safeguards; vote on first reading was 10–1.
The Board of Supervisors voted 10–1 on first reading to authorize the county clerk to issue municipal identification cards to San Francisco residents.
Supervisor Sandoval, a sponsor of the measure, said the municipal ID would help people who lack government-issued identification to report crimes, open bank accounts and access city programs. He cited New Haven, Conn., where a similar program issued more than 4,000 cards and reported improved community-police relations.
Critics raised concerns about the program’s projected costs and about which municipal and private services would accept the card. Supervisor Chu and other board members pressed for clearer budget estimates and assurances that existing state or federal ID requirements would not be overridden by the city card.
Supporters said the county clerk’s estimated startup costs were preliminary and that the Budget Analyst expected ongoing costs to be lower after initial rollout. The measure passed on first reading with 10 ayes and one no; supervisors said they expect further budget and implementation details as the clerk’s office refines the plan.
