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Rules Committee advances open-data ordinance requiring technical standards, release timelines and personal-data access
Summary
The Rules Committee voted to accept amendments and forward an ordinance that sets machine-readable standards, API documentation and timelines for releasing city datasets, creates a Chief Data Officer role to draft rules, and proposes a first-in-the-nation strategy to let San Franciscans access their personal data.
Supervisor Farrell, the ordinance’s author, told the Rules Committee on Nov. 21 that the measure would update the Administrative Code to require common technical standards for city datasets, set deadlines for releasing open data and create a mechanism for departments to work with entrepreneurs and residents on prioritizing datasets. "Open data has helped to spark innovation, drive efficiency in government and fuel further economic development," Farrell said, arguing the ordinance would deepen San Francisco's leadership in the open-data movement.
The measure directs the city’s Chief Data Officer—once hired—to draft rules and industry-standard technical requirements, such as ensuring datasets are downloadable in machine-readable formats, documenting APIs and clarifying licensing to make it easier for private developers and civic startups to build services. Farrell also said the ordinance would include privacy safeguards and would, for the first time, require the city to develop a strategy to allow residents to access their own data.
Committee members asked for specifics about timing and costs. Chair Supervisor Norman Yee and others sought clarification on amendments that relaxed a one-month hiring mandate for the Chief Data Officer to a longer, three-month target and on whether department data coordinators would still be designated if the Chief Data Officer had not yet been hired. Farrell said the ordinance inserts timelines but gives the Chief Data Officer flexibility to adjust departmental deadlines where necessary and that the main cost implication is staff time to prepare datasets rather than a large new appropriation.
Public commenters widely supported the ordinance. Yo Yoshida of Appolicious said his company would not "exist without the open data" and urged the committee to give the policy "teeth" so civic startups can build products such as the SF Rec and Park app. Jay Nath, the mayor’s Chief Innovation Officer, and other speakers including representatives of Splunk for Good, Caravan Studios (TechSoup Global), and several local startups, told the committee the amendments would improve transparency, encourage innovation and facilitate public–private partnerships.
Without objection, the committee accepted the introduced amendments and passed a motion to forward the ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation. The ordinance now moves to the full Board for consideration on the supervisors' agenda.
