SEC. 2.105. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS.
§ 2.105
This section establishes the basic rules for how San Francisco's Board of Supervisors introduces, debates, votes on, and implements ordinances and resolutions, including requirements for separate readings, committee review, voting majorities, subject matter limits, and effective dates.
The Board of Supervisors must follow rules it sets for itself. To change the law, the Board must pass written ordinances (for major laws) or resolutions (for other decisions). Either the Mayor, a Board member, a committee, or the Commission Streamlining Task Force can introduce these. Most ordinances need a majority vote to pass and must be read aloud at two separate Board meetings at least five days apart, with a committee review in between. Ordinances can only cover one subject (except budget ordinances). Most ordinances don't take effect for 30 days after passage, but franchise ordinances must wait 60 days. Resolutions are simpler—they need only one reading and can pass immediately if everyone present agrees, or they can take effect later if the resolution says so.
- Complex:The section mixes procedural rules (readings, voting) with substantive restrictions (one subject per ordinance, effective dates, franchise timelines) across multiple paragraphs, making it dense and cross-referenced.
- Could be simpler:The exception structure ('Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.107' and repeated 'except' clauses) could be reorganized to clearly state the standard rule first, then list exceptions in a single place.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
The Board of Supervisors shall meet and transact its business according to rules which it shall adopt.
The Board of Supervisors shall act only by written ordinance or resolution, except that it may act by motion on matters over which the Board of Supervisors has exclusive jurisdiction. All legislative acts shall be by ordinance. An ordinance or resolution may be introduced before the Board of Supervisors by a member of the Board, a committee of the Board, the Mayor, or the Commission Streamlining Task Force subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4.100.1, and shall be referred to and reported upon by an appropriate committee of the Board. An ordinance or resolution may be prepared in committee and reported out to the full Board for action, consistent with the public notice laws of the City. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, passage of an ordinance or a resolution shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board.
An ordinance shall deal with only one subject matter, except that appropriations ordinances may cover appropriations with respect to any number of subjects. The title of each ordinance shall clearly reflect the content of the ordinance.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.107, passage of an ordinance shall require two readings at separate meetings of the Board of Supervisors, which shall be held at least five days apart. If an ordinance is amended at its second reading, the ordinance shall require a further reading prior to final passage. Resolutions shall require only one reading and may be adopted upon introduction without reference to committee by unanimous affirmative vote of the members of the Board of Supervisors who are present, but in no event less than a quorum.
All ordinances shall take effect no sooner than 30 days following the date of passage except for ordinances not subject to referendum and those authorizing bonded indebtedness and lease financings, which shall take effect immediately. Ordinances granting franchises shall take effect no sooner than 60 days after passage. No ordinance granting a franchise may be passed within 90 days of its introduction. Resolutions may take effect immediately upon passage, or at such other time as shall be specified in the resolutions.
(Amended by Proposition E, Approved 11/5/2024)