While light on ordinances to pass, today’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting featured a lot of substance and some unfulfilled suspense as well. Members weighed in on the controversial Supreme Court draft opinion threatening reproductive rights, consequential future legislation, and the city’s Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
An Empty Seat
One unspoken but very apparent feature of today’s meeting was the absence of a District 6 Supervisor. Matt Haney, the incumbent, resigned his seat to be sworn in as a State Assemblymember representing California’s 17th District today. Many observers expected his replacement to be appointed by Mayor London Breed in time to attend today’s meeting, but that was apparently not to be.
Sharing the Wealth Redux
Todays’ agenda was very light on ordinances, but a number of funding resolutions were passed. These included:
Police Commissioners Reappointed
Along with the above grant programs for SFPD, the following Police Commissioners were reappointed:
Honoring Asian and Pacific Islander Americans
The board used its 2:30 commendations period to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Americans Heritage Month. They also honored a number of local members of the AAPI community for their service during a difficult year, which was dominated by the pandemic and headlines about anti-Asian American hate crimes. Honorees included:
Additionally, Film Commissioner Claudine Cheng made remarks honoring former San Jose Mayor, Congressman and Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, who was instrumental in the establishment of AAPI Heritage Month nationally. Mineta passed away this afternoon at the age of 90.
Roll Call: Fighting Back Against SCOTUS
The recent shock news of the US Supreme Court’s draft opinion striking down reproductive rights prompted swift and categorical responses by the board’s female contingent during Roll Call:
In other Roll Call matters: