SEC. 2.107. EMERGENCY ORDINANCES.
§ 2.107
Emergency ordinances can be enacted by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Supervisors during public emergencies affecting life, health, property, or city operations, requiring only one reading and lasting 61 days unless reauthorized. Emergency ordinances must include a declaration of emergency, description, and explanation of how measures address it, but cannot levy taxes, grant franchises, regulate utility rates, set salaries, issue bonds, or buy/sell/lease land.
When San Francisco faces a sudden emergency—like a threat to people's safety, health, or property, or when a city department needs to act fast to follow the law—the Board of Supervisors can pass an emergency ordinance quickly. Unlike regular ordinances, it only needs one reading instead of multiple readings, and it needs two-thirds of the supervisors to agree. The emergency ordinance must explain what the emergency is and how the new rules will help fix it. Once passed, the ordinance takes effect right away but automatically expires after 61 days (though it can be re-passed). However, emergency ordinances cannot be used to raise taxes, create new business franchises, change utility rates, change city employee salaries, issue bonds, or buy or sell city property.
- Controversial:Emergency powers that bypass normal legislative procedures and allow temporary suspension of the Charter are contentious topics where San Francisco residents reasonably disagree about the proper balance between executive speed and democratic oversight.
- Could be simpler:The section could more clearly define what constitutes a qualifying 'public emergency' beyond the current broad language, to reduce uncertainty about when emergency procedures may be invoked.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
An emergency ordinance may be passed in cases of public emergency affecting life, health, property, or for the uninterrupted operation of any City or County department or office required to comply with time limitations as established by law. Emergency ordinances shall require only one reading, and the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board of Supervisors shall be required for the passage of an emergency ordinance.
The form and manner of introduction of an emergency ordinance shall be as required for ordinances generally. In addition, an emergency ordinance shall contain:
1. A declaration setting forth the existence of the emergency;
2. A clear and concise description thereof; and
3. An explanation of how the measures in the ordinance will address the emergency.
An emergency ordinance shall be effective upon passage and shall automatically terminate on the 61st day following passage. An emergency ordinance may be reenacted upon the same terms and conditions applicable to its initial enactment. Any appropriation contained in an emergency ordinance shall be deemed to be an amendment to the final appropriations ordinance.
An emergency ordinance may suspend specific sections of this Charter, but may not: levy taxes; grant, renew or extend a franchise; regulate the rate charged by any public utility for its services; set salaries; issue bonds; or buy, sell or lease land.