The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved on Tuesday the first reading of an ordinance with stricter penalties for participants in sideshows.
It still needs to go for a second and final vote but if passed, it would criminalize participation in promoting a sideshow, targeting sideshows involving both cars and roving groups of dirt bikers. It will also allow the city to permanently seize a car involved in a sideshow, perhaps even selling it if the case is convicted by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed co-sponsored the ordinance, she said the following: “Changing our laws will allow us to both hold those planning or participating in sideshows accountable and send a message that there will be consequences when they come to San Francisco.”
The vote comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed four bills into law, giving law enforcement more authority to impound cars involved in sideshows.
San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin said it’s an issue that needs to be addressed on both the state and local levels.
“These things are dangerous. They’re like the bain of everybody’s existence, whether you’re left or right or center in this town,” he said.
But with San Francisco police dealing with ongoing staffing shortages, business owner Tim Hayman told NBC Bay Area that it could be challenging enforcing any new laws.
“We can pass a zillion laws, but if we don’t have the staff to take care of it, nothing happens," he said. "Somebody has to be on the street to deal with that.”
The second and final vote on the sideshow ordinance will take place next Tuesday. Peskin added the new sideshow laws will likely go into effect in a matter of weeks.
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