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3 min read San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee

SF pauses bar patio smoking ban; Mayor steps in to broker amendments

San Francisco Land Use Committee: Smoke-free bar patios ordinance continued 3-0 to June 8 after packed comment from bar owners, workers, and health advocates.
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San Francisco
Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting
May 18, 2026

TL;DR

  • The committee paused the smoke-free bar patios ordinance and will hear it again on June 8 after Chair Melgar said the Mayor offered to help broker amendments.
  • Vote on the continuance was 3-0 (Melgar, Chen, Mahmood).
  • The ordinance would ban smoking on outdoor bar and tavern patios and end three existing exceptions: bars with no employees, bars with historically compliant semi-enclosed smoking rooms, and hotel rooms.
  • More than 20 speakers split sharply. Bar owners and workers warned of revenue loss and enforcement burdens. Health advocates and a surgeon cited worker exposure and a UCSF air-quality study.
  • The Small Business Commission voted against the ordinance on April 27.

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