A proposed vending ban that died last year in Sacramento is being resurrected.
State Sen. Scott Wiener on Monday introduced the SAFE Streets Act, which would tighten rules around selling goods on city streets.
The bill would require those selling goods that are commonly stolen to present to law enforcement proof of a permit or receipt showing they had purchased the items.
“We need to end the sale of stolen goods on our streets,” Wiener said in a statement. “Criminal organizations are fueling retail theft and bringing violence and chaos to our streets, displacing legitimate street vendors, harming local businesses, and undermining public safety.”
Wiener said the bill will not target individuals selling food, such as the hot dog vendors who line San Francisco’s streets, many of whom are undocumented and face increased scrutiny under new policies from President Donald Trump.
The bill has the support of Mayor Daniel Lurie, who ran on a pro-law-enforcement platform and is trying to crack down on dysfunction on the city’s streets. Wiener’s bill follows legislation introduced by Lurie aimed at tackling the fentanyl crisis.
“With this bill, we are stopping people from stealing goods and then turning around to sell them on our streets, while also removing a key driver of our public safety crisis,” Lurie said in a statement. “By taking on fencing, we are addressing retail theft, improving public safety, and adding another tool to help us clean up our streets.”
Under the law, the list of prohibited items would be determined by the Board of Supervisors, and a third violation could result in an infraction or a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail.
In 2018, the state decriminalized sidewalk vending, shifting the responsibility of enforcement from police to Public Works. In 2023, the city issued a temporary moratorium on vending in the Mission. The ban sparked an uproar among vendors who said their legitimate business was negatively affected, while others said it led to cleaner and safer streets.
Wiener’s first attempt at the legislation, Senate Bill 925, failed last year in committee. Former Mayor London Breed supported the law, while her aides, Bobbi López and Andres Power, and former Mission Supervisor Hillary Ronen were able to build local support.
However, it’s unclear if newly minted Mission Supervisor Jackie Fielder will support Wiener’s bill.
During her campaign, Fielder said she wanted to bring “licensed community vendors” to the city’s streets. She has not yet indicated her position on Wiener’s legislation. Her office told The Standard it was not prepared to comment.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that San Francisco decriminalized sidewalk vending in 2018; it was decriminalized by the state.