DAS commission approves teleconferencing and virtual presenter authorizations

At its Feb. 16, 2023 special meeting, the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services commission approved two procedural resolutions on remote participation.

First, commissioners voted to approve a resolution allowing the commission to hold in-person meetings with some members appearing remotely under an amended Brown Act framework and recent executive orders that permit teleconferencing during the state of emergency. A motion (recorded in the transcript as moved by "Commissioner John" and seconded by Vice President Janet Spears) was followed by a roll-call vote in which the commissioners present recorded Yes votes; Commissioner Barbara Sklar’s phone connection was uncertain during the roll call.

Second, the commission approved an authorization to allow third-party presenters who are not city employees to attend commission meetings virtually, pending any California government code changes or a mayoral supplement to the emergency proclamation. That motion (moved by a commissioner recorded as "Commissioner Zhang" and seconded by Vice President Spears) also passed by roll call with Yes votes from the commissioners who responded.

Both measures were procedural and intended to preserve public participation options while complying with state law and emergency guidance; no members of the public called in to comment on these items during the meeting.