SEC. 67.4. PASSIVE MEETINGS.
§ 67.4
Passive meetings—gatherings of advisory committees and social or ceremonial events involving city officials—must be accessible to the public upon request and may disclose information online, but are exempt from formal notice requirements, public comment periods, and some other formalities of regular public meetings. Policy bodies must also impose similar accessibility requirements on contracts with entities that own or operate properties where the city has an ownership interest and government functions occur.
When city advisory committees or official social events meet, they don't need to send out formal meeting notices like regular city meetings do. However, if someone from the public asks about the meeting, the city must tell them when and where it is and what will be discussed. The public can watch these meetings if there's space, but doesn't have to be given a chance to speak (though the person running the meeting can allow questions if they want). When the city enters into contracts with companies that manage buildings the city owns or has a financial stake in, those companies must follow the same rules for their board meetings that relate to that property or their contract with the city.
- Complex:Section (b) introduces a conditional requirement for third-party contracts with multiple nested conditions (ownership interest types, government functions, meeting scope) that may be difficult for non-specialists to apply in practice.
- Could be simpler:Subsection (a)(5) could be clearer by defining 'passive meeting bodies' upfront rather than only in the applicability clause; the current structure requires readers to work backward to understand which gatherings are covered.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
(a) All gatherings of passive meeting bodies shall be accessible to individuals upon inquiry and to the extent possible consistent with the facilities in which they occur.
(1) Such gatherings need not be formally noticed, except on the City's website whenever possible, although the time, place and nature of the gathering shall be disclosed upon inquiry by a member of the public, and any agenda actually prepared for the gathering shall be accessible to such inquirers as a public record.
(2) Such gatherings need not be conducted in any particular space for the accommodation of members of the public, although members of the public shall be permitted to observe on a space available basis consistent with legal and practical restrictions on occupancy.
(3) Such gatherings of a business nature need not provide opportunities for comment by members of the public, although the person presiding may, in his or her discretion, entertain such questions or comments from spectators as may be relevant to the business of the gathering.
(4) Such gatherings of a social or ceremonial nature need not provide refreshments to spectators.
(5) Gatherings subject to this subsection include the following: advisory committees or other multimember bodies created in writing or by the initiative of, or otherwise primarily formed or existing to serve as a non-governmental advisor to, a member of a policy body, the Mayor, the City Administrator, a department head, or any elective officer, and social, recreational or ceremonial occasions sponsored or organized by or for a policy body to which a majority of the body has been invited. This subsection shall not apply to a committee which consists solely of employees of the City and County of San Francisco.
(6) Gatherings defined in subdivision (5) may hold closed sessions under circumstances allowed by this Article.
(b) To the extent not inconsistent with State or federal law, a policy body shall include in any contract with an entity that owns, operates or manages any property in which the City has or will have an ownership interest, including a mortgage, and on which the entity performs a government function related to the furtherance of health, safety or welfare, a requirement that any meeting of the governing board of the entity to address any matter relating to the property or its government related activities on the property, or performance under the contract or grant, be conducted as provided in Subdivision (a) of this section. Records made available to the governing board relating to such matters shall be likewise available to the public, at a cost not to exceed the actual cost up to 10 cents per page, or at a higher actual cost as demonstrated in writing to such governing board.
(Added by Ord. 265-93, App. 8/18/93; amended by Ord. 287-96, App. 7/12/96; Proposition G, 11/2/99)