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City staff outline new health-order rules for large indoor events, grant relief and training deadlines
Summary
Director Weiland briefed the Entertainment Commission on health-order changes requiring full vaccination (including boosters if eligible) and masks at indoor mega events; OEWD's Ben Van Houten described an RFP for an SF Live campaign, a Music and Entertainment Venue Recovery Fund second round, and an Aug. 31 deadline for state RBS training certification.
Director Weiland opened the staff report with updates to local health orders that align with state rules and that affect the entertainment and nightlife community.
Weiland said indoor 'mega' events with 500 or more attendees now require patrons to be fully vaccinated (including boosters if eligible) and to show proof of a negative third‑party lab test if claiming a medical or religious exemption; at‑home antigen tests are not acceptable. Staff must be up to date on vaccination or show a negative third‑party lab test and complete exemption paperwork if they claim an exemption. Masking remains required at indoor mega events regardless of vaccination status. Weiland summarized the testing windows: antigen tests must be taken within one day; PCR tests within two days, and participants must present laboratory documentation.
Deputy Director Azevedo and Senior Analyst Rice were on hand to answer questions. Commissioners asked for clarification about booster expectations at restaurants and similar indoor service settings; Weiland said the guidance urges businesses where food or drink is served to require boosters when eligible but does not mandate universal booster checks for all indoor food service.
Ben Van Houten of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development briefed the commission on state and local support for venues. He said the governor's budget blueprint would exempt federal relief grants (Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant) from state taxable income and allow normal expense deductibility. Van Houten also summarized legislative activity—SB 793 (a music‑venue liquor‑license bill and authorization for local 'entertainment zones') and SB 846 (extensions to to‑go alcohol sales) —and said the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control set a Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training and certification deadline of Aug. 31 for managers and servers. Van Houten noted OEWD issued an RFP for the "SF Live" initiative (applications due Feb. 16; written questions due Feb. 2) and that the Music and Entertainment Venue Recovery Fund added four venues in a second round, bringing the total eligible venues to 74.
Commissioners thanked staff and pressed for outreach to help venues comply with the new training and certification requirements and to publicize the RFP for potential nonprofit administrators of the SF Live campaign.
