Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee Hears Legal and Civil‑Liberties Concerns About Mayor’s 'Civil Sidewalks' Ballot Measure
Summary
Mayor Newsom’s proposed sit‑lie ordinance to ban sitting or lying on sidewalks drew sharp questions from supervisors and vocal public opposition citing constitutional risks and unclear targeted conduct. Mayor’s staff said legal review supports the initiative and projected minimal costs.
The Rules Committee held a charter‑mandated hearing on a mayoral initiative described in the meeting as the "civil sidewalks" or sit‑lie ordinance, which would add a section to the city’s police code aimed at keeping sidewalks clear for pedestrian use. Jason Elliott, representing the mayor’s office, said the proposal fills a gap because "there's no law that squarely addresses the issue of someone who lies down or sits down on a sidewalk for hours at a time." He said the city attorney and district attorney had been…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
