Fines and Fees Task Force Meeting Minutes December 15, 2016

Attendees:

Task Force Members Present:

Anne Stuhldreher (SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Dion Libutti (Community Housing Partnership), James Whelly (Human Services Agency), Warren Hill (Human Services Agency), Caroline Beckett (Child Support Services), Kendra Amick (Bay Area Legal Aid), Tara Anderson (District Attorney’s Office), Scott Nelson (Coalition on Homelessness), Diana Hammons (Municipal Transportation Agency), Ruth Sappelt (Office of Economic and Workforce Development), Lee Ann Hudson (Adult Probation Department)

Members of the Public: Tanea Lunsford (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Amanda Fried (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Matthew Drazba (Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector), Asher Waite-Jones (Legal Services of Children), Michelle Ghafer (Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights), Tara Agnese (San Francisco Adult Probation Department), Karen Shain (San Francisco Adult Probation Department), Karin Martin (UC Berkeley/John Jay, CUNY), Mark Jacobs (SF Public Defender’s Office), Christa Brown (Treasurer’s Office), Jeremy Lee (Sup. Kim’s Office), Jeffrey Chuong (Sup. Kim’s Office), Jeremy Goldman (City Attorney’s Office)

1. Agenda Review/Approval

Anne reviewed packet and background materials. The agenda was approved by Task Force Members.

2. Group Agreements

Tanea reiterated Group Agreements. No one added to the living document.

3. Reforming the suspension of Driver’s Licenses for Inability to Pay

The following updates were given:

• Background and briefing on Amnesty and the Working Group: Ruth Sappelt (Office of Economic and Workforce Development)
• Update from the Superior Court.
• Juveniles and driver’s license suspensions: Asher Waite Jones (Legal Services For Children)
• HSA clients and driver’s license suspensions:  James Whelly (Human Services Agency)

*The updates were followed by a discussion about Task Force Recommendations about Driver’s License suspensions.

4. Reforming our system of bail

The following updates were given:

• Overview of bail policy and reforms: Karin Martin (UC Berkeley and John Jay School of Criminal Justice) 
• Lawsuit against City to end cash bail: Jeremy Goldman (SF City Attorney’s Office)
• Bail Unit in Public Defender’s Office: Mark Jacobs (Public Defenders Office)
• Public Safety Assessment Tool: San Francisco Superior Court
• Economic impact of bail: Christa Brown (Treasurer’s Office)
• Update on statewide bail reform bill: Tanea Lunsford (Treasurer’s Office)

*The updates were followed by a discussion about Task Force Recommendations about Driver’s License suspensions.

5. Public Comment

The public participated throughout agenda item discussions.

6. Closing

The Meeting was adjourned at 5:05pm