Charter Reform Working Group Convenes at City Hall to Address Term Limits and Governance

San Francisco Charter Reform Under Review

Today, Friday, January 30, 2026, the Charter Reform Working Group is scheduled to meet at City Hall to continue the complex process of evaluating potential amendments to San Francisco’s founding governing document. The meeting, held in Room 201, comes during a pivotal week for city governance as officials weigh significant changes to term limits and the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.

The primary focus of today’s session and recent legislative discussions is a proposal to overhaul how terms are calculated for the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors. Currently, the City Charter limits these officials to serving two consecutive four-year terms, allowing individuals to seek office again after a hiatus. However, a group of supervisors—including Bilal Mahmood, Myrna Melgar, Stephen Sherrill, Matt Dorsey, Danny Sauter, and Alan Wong—is pushing for a lifetime cap of two terms, regardless of whether they are served consecutively.

Generational Change and Democratic Principles

Supporters of the stricter limits argue that the move is necessary to ensure fresh perspectives in City Hall. During a preliminary discussion earlier this week, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood emphasized that the proposal is intended to foster a more dynamic democracy. "This is really about sending a message around democracy; democracy requires change," Mahmood stated, noting that recent generational shifts on the Board have already led to new ideas and results for the city.

The working group is tasked with refining these proposals before they can be placed on a future ballot for voter approval. Beyond term limits, the group is also reviewing the administrative authorities of the Mayor’s office. This is particularly timely as Mayor Daniel Lurie’s emergency fast-track powers—granted last year to address the fentanyl crisis, homelessness, and mental health—are set to begin phasing out this month.

Impact on City Operations

While the working group focuses on long-term structural changes, the city government is also navigating immediate operational challenges. Highlights for the working group's agenda today include:

• Reviewing the legal implications of non-consecutive term limit caps on current officeholders.
• Evaluating the efficiency of the monthslong competitive bidding process, which the Mayor’s office recently sought to bypass for critical social services.
• Discussing the timeline for submitting final charter amendment language for the June 2026 election cycle.

As the session concludes today, the findings of the Working Group will be essential for the Rules Committee, which faces a critical deadline this evening for referencing new legislation to the full Board of Supervisors for their upcoming February sessions.