AB 74 Update!

 

We have good news today from Sacramento and we’d like to thank everyone who sent feedback to Assemblymember Fiona Ma on her proposed legislation AB74, The Raves Safety Act.  Your voices were heard and our suggested amendments were introduced at the State Assembly Agriculture Committee that addressed two of our most significant problems with AB74.

First, the Title of AB74 was changed from the “Raves Safety Act” to “Concert and Music Festival Safety Act”.  We felt that the previous title reinforced the trend in media and government to single out electronic music events for discriminatory treatment, since sporting, concerts and many other types of events can also have health and safety issues.

Secondly, the threshold in which an “approved event plan” would be required for events on state property was raised from 1000 attendees to 10,000.  Promoters of large events already work with venue management, health and safety staff as well as law enforcement on safe event plans but we considered such requirements to be excessive for much smaller events.

We are grateful to Fiona Ma’s office for hearing our voices along the way, including on these last critical issues.  It was an act of good faith on her behalf to amend AB74 based on community concerns.  In her public statements, Assemblymember Ma acknowledged that events should continue and that young people should not be deprived of their right to dance and enjoy music by the world’s great electronic music producers.

That said, we are concerned that because of the recent rave hysteria, local authorities will require unreasonable ratios of security and law enforcement to attendees, in effect, banning electronic music events because of excessive safety requirements.  We need to stay vigilant and work with local authorities on what constitutes a fair and realistic event safety plan.  If our community’s events are effectively prohibited because of draconian event plans, we may need Assemblymember Ma’s help in creating realistic standards for event safety.

With that we would like to thank everyone in the community who has written letters of support, spoken at public comment or helped in any way to follow through with this process.  It has been an emotional and charged journey but we are stronger because our voices have been heard!

Feel free to drop Assemblymember Ma an email thanking her for all the revisions & amendments and asking for her support of electronic music events in the future.  It is important that our legislators hear from us not only when we disagree, but also when they do the right thing.

We will continue to have monthly Save The Rave meetings as, unfortunately, there are always new issues so please get involved and participate! http://www.savetherave.org/join

We will continue to keep you updated via our e-mail list and Facebook group and page as well.

Thanks and we’ll see you on a dancefloor soon!

-Save The Rave

 

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We’re going to Sacramento!

Dear fellow lovers of EDM,

Tomorrow, April 27th, the revised version of AB 74 is going up for vote in the Agriculture Committee at the State Capitol in Sacramento.

While the revised version of AB 74 is much better than the original version, we still see many problems with the legislation and must oppose it! 

Please join us tomorrow at the Capitol Building in Sacramento to speak out against it! 

You can view the revised legislation, our amendments and talking points here > http://www.savetherave.org/legislation/

RSVP so we know you are coming! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149957241736064

If you cannot make it, please email the members of the Agriculture Committee expressing your concerns.

Feel free to use our talking points! 
http://www.savetherave.org/legislation/ 

Here are the contacts:

Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov,

Assemblymember.Valadao@assembly.ca.gov,

Assemblymember.Bill.Berryhill@assembly.ca.gov,

Assemblymember.Hill@assembly.ca.gov,

Assemblymember.Ma@assembly.ca.gov,

Assemblymember.Mendoza@assembly.ca.gov, 

Assemblymember.Olsen@assembly.ca.gov, 

Assemblymember.Perea@assembly.ca.gov,

Assemblymember.Yamada@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember.Ammiano@assembly.ca.gov

We hope to see you there!

1315 10th street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Room 126 at 1:30pm.

Thank you!
-Save The Rave

Talking Points for Entertainment Commission Hearing Tonight

• Save The Rave in conjunction with the Entertainment Commission and Youth Commission just held a hearing last month with massive public support calling for the protection of our events and venues.  These rules counter that work and the support from the public and the Commissions in every way. 

• Supervisor Scott Wiener just passed a resolution 2 weeks ago that was unanimously supported at the Board Of Supervisors calling for the protection of our events and venues.

• The Entertainment Commission was specifically created so that it can work with venues on a case by case basis.  It is counter to the credo of the Entertainment Commission to apply blanket conditions on all venues.

– – – – – – -Specific Talking Points Regarding Each Rule:- – – – – – –

• This security ratio is set to a level typically reserved for “problem venues” and it is unfair to apply this requirement to the vast majority of events and venues that run safely. (Rule 1)

• This security ratio would also place an undue financial strain which would then translate to higher ticket prices meaning many folks in the community would no longer be able to attend.  This would have negative effects on the health, happiness, business and culture of SF residents and visitors. (Rule 1)

• Requiring metal detectors creates an undue burden for the majority of venues and events who never or rarely have issues of violence. (Rule 2)

• ID scanning raises major privacy and 4th amendment concerns and the storage of that information leads to the raised likelihood of identity theft and other abuse. (Rule 3)

• Installing extra security cameras is unnecessary for the vast majority of venues and events that run without problems. Storage of all of that video is going to be cost prohibitive and translate to higher ticket sales and negative cultural impacts. (Rule 4)

• Installing extra lighting is unnecessary for the venues and events that run without problems. (Rule 5)

• Security plans are already put in place with the Entertainment Commission.  The Entertainment Commission was created to take over permitting from the police department and provide due process in the creation and approval of those plans. (Rule 6)

• Its already state law to have a guard card. (Rule 7)

• Having a manager on duty to take calls and work with neighbors is already in the Good Neighbor Policies and attached to the permits. (Rule 8)

• Its already state law to post your permits in a visible location. (Rule 9)

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –  

These rules are at best redundant and at worst unconstitutional, invasive, and are a massive attack on our culture and community.  We urge the Entertainment Commission to reject these proposed rules outright! 

– Save The Rave

Return to City Hall – April 12, 2011, at 6:30 PM in Room 400

We need YOU to return to City Hall TOMORROW night (4/12) to voice your opposition to proposed new security rules that will cripple venues and events catering to nightlife in San Francisco.

These rules are draconian and unneccesarry and will only make it more burdensome and expensive to hold events.  Please come down and speak at public comment against these proposed measures.

Proposed Rules

These Conditions shall apply to all EC permitted events with an anticipated occupancy capacity of over one hundred (100) individuals.

 

1.      (a) Security personnel shall be provided in a ratio one (1) guard for every fifty (50) patrons.  (b) A security supervisor shall be provided at a ratio of one (1) supervisor for every four (4) guards.

  

2.      All individuals entering the premises shall be scanned by a metal detector.

  

3.      All occupants of the premises shall be ID Scanned (including patrons, promoters, and performers, etc.).  ID scanning data shall be maintained on a data storage system for no less than 15 days and shall be made available to local law enforcement upon request. 

 

4.      High visibility cameras shall be located at each entrance and exit point of the premises.  Said cameras shall maintain a recorded data base for no less than fifteen (15 days) and made available to local law enforcement upon request.

 

5.      The exterior of the premises shall be equipped with lighting of sufficient power to illuminate and make easily discernible the appearance and conduct of all persons on or about the premises.  Additionally, the position of such lighting shall not disturb the normal privacy and use of any neighboring residences.

 

6.      The premises shall provide a Security Plan acceptable to the Chief of Police which includes a Security proposal and EC Best Practices, collectively referred to as a Security Plan.

  

7.      All Security personnel that protect life and/or property shall maintain a current and valid California Department of Consumer Affairs Guard Card and shall comply with all rules and regulations governing the Card.   

 

8.      At all times the premises is open to the public a readily identifiable Manager employed by the EC permit holder shall be on-site.

 

9.      All Federal, State, and Local permits, required posting, including but not limited to occupancy, shall be posted in a 

 

The Entertainment Commission will consider adopting rules concerning security at places of entertainment and one time events at its regular meeting on April 12, 2011, at 6:30 PM in Room 400, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco.

Events Protection Resolution Passes Unanimously at the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco!

Supervisor Scott Wiener sponsored an events protection resolution in response to the Save The Rave Hearing at City Hall last month.  It was passed unanimously by the SF Board of Supervisors!  Read the resolution here:

[Protection of Safely Produced and Well Managed Youth Events]

Resolution calling for the protection of safely produced and well managed youth events, including music oriented events, in the City of San Francisco.

WHEREAS, The Board of Supervisors recognizes that music oriented nightclubs, special events, and outdoor music festivals are a vital cultural and economic resource, generating hundreds of millions of dollars each year in tourism and revenue for the City; and

WHEREAS, Since suitable venues for large, legal and safe special events are few in San Francisco, access to venues are particularly necessary for peaceful assembly and cultural celebration, particularly for youth who cannot attend events for persons 21 and over; and,

WHEREAS, San Francisco recognizes that shutting down permitted venues and special events, absent legitimate public safety concerns, does not reduce harm because it leads to a proliferation of illegal unpermitted events; and,

WHEREAS, Issues of alcohol and substance abuse and violence are broad society problems that are not created by entertainment events – meaning that while event producers share the burden of addressing these problems on their premises, they do not bear the sole responsibility for addressing them; and;

WHEREAS, The Youth Commission has expressed concern that San Francisco is lacking compared to other large cities in terms of entertainment options for youth; and

WHEREAS, At times in San Francisco, the response to problems around youth entertainment is to eliminate youth venues and events rather than utilize harm reduction procedures and create solutions; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors and the City and County of San Francisco acknowledge the importance of safely produced youth events, included music oriented events, with respect to culture, economy and community; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors strongly recommends that the Mayor’s Office and relevant City departments, in particular Police, Fire, Public Health, Entertainment Commission, Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation (ISCOTT), Recreation and Parks, and the Port work together to develop solutions to allow these youth events to continue and flourish both in private venues as well as on city property.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, April 7th at 134 Golden Gate Ave (SF) – 7pm. We will be discussing the revised AB 74, proposed new rules regarding nightlife to the SF Entertainment Commission and more.  RSVP to info@savetherave.org Thanks!