Committee advances municipal ID documentation amendments after staff and widespread public support

The Government Audit & Oversight Committee on Nov. 3 forwarded proposed amendments to the municipal identification (City ID) documentation rules to the full Board after staff presentations and more than a dozen members of the public urged quick implementation.

Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who introduced the amendments, said his office and the city administrator consulted the county clerk, banks, credit unions, and law enforcement to ensure applicants present documents that accepting agencies will recognize. He described a clarification changing the original marriage certificate requirement to a "certified copy" and said the changes require each applicant to show at least one government-issued ID, U.S. or foreign.

Ammiano pointed to an Oct. 14 San Francisco Superior Court ruling that "confirmed the ID card does not violate state or federal law and that the lawsuit was dismissed," and emphasized the city is taking extra security steps. "We are using UV images that can only be viewed under a black light as well as microprint," he said, adding the security level is comparable to a passport.

County Clerk Karen Hanyi described technical safeguards her office is adopting: "We have worked, together with Data Card Group and Capture Technologies on coming up with a solution to the Citi ID card program" and the office will perform a "1 to many photo comparison in our database" and use laser engraving to make cards difficult to counterfeit. She said county staff will coordinate with the SFPD fraud unit on training and counterfeiting trends.

Public comment focused overwhelmingly on expedited implementation. Molly Goldberg of Bridal Work and the Queer Youth Organizing Project urged the city to implement the municipal ID "as soon as possible," saying it allows undocumented and transgender residents to access services without risking exposure. Other speakers — including representatives from the San Francisco Labor/Organizing Project, Chinese for Affirmative Action, API Equality, Global Exchange, Pride at Work and tenant groups — stressed benefits for immigrants, transgender people, homeless residents and tenants, and pressed the committee to set a launch date.

Supervisor Ammiano told the committee the target timeframe for launching the program and training accepting agencies is "early January or February" 2009. After closing public comment, the committee adopted Ammiano's amendment and forwarded the ordinance to the full Board as a committee report with recommendation, without objection.

The full Board will consider the amended documentation requirements and any implementation schedule at its next meeting.