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Supervisors advance ordinance banning concealed firearms at many public gatherings
Summary
The committee moved an amended police-code ordinance forward to ban concealed firearms at certain public gatherings, lowering the organizer threshold from 50 to 20 to cover small-organizer events that draw large crowds; the motion passed without objection and will appear on the May 1, 2018 Board agenda.
San Francisco supervisors on April 25 advanced an ordinance that would bar people from carrying concealed firearms at certain gatherings in public right-of-way, the committee chair announced.
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee considered an amended version of the measure that applies to a broader set of events by lowering the organizer threshold from 50 to 20, Supervisor Stephanie said. She framed the change as intended to capture small-organizer events that nevertheless draw large crowds — examples she cited included the Women’s March and March for Our Lives.
"This ordinance will prohibit people from carrying concealed firearms at gatherings in the public right away to create a safe place for people to express their First Amendment rights," Supervisor Stephanie said in remarks urging support.
No members of the public testified on the item. Vice Chair Hillary Ronan moved to send the ordinance forward with a positive recommendation; the chair took the motion without objection and the committee approved the referral without a roll-call vote. Clerk John Carroll noted items acted on today will appear on the May 1, 2018 Board of Supervisors agenda unless otherwise stated.
If enacted by the full Board, the amendment would change the city’s police code to restrict concealed firearms at a wider range of public gatherings. Supporters framed the measure as a public-safety step to allow people to exercise free-speech rights without fear; opponents were not recorded during the committee’s public-comment period.
The committee record shows the ordinance was modified to move the organizer threshold from 50 to 20; the item will proceed to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration on May 1, 2018.
