San Francisco supervisor launches ‘dumb laws’ contest to identify outdated city rules

by Alise Maripuu, Bay City News March 12, 2026March 12, 2026

(L-R) Stop Crime SF board member Frank Noto and San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong attend a press conference to announce the launch of a “Dumb Laws Contest” in San Francisco, Calif. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The contest aims to identify and remove unnecessary, burdensome, or outdated city laws and regulations. (Alise Maripuu/Bay City News)

SAN FRANCISCO SUPERVISOR Alan Wong launched a “dumb laws” contest on Wednesday where residents will be able to share city rules and regulations they consider nonsensical or “ridiculous,” he said.

“Over time, every city accumulates regulations that may have been created with good intentions,” Wong said at a briefing Wednesday. “But as the city evolves, some of those rules become outdated, overly complicated or simply unnecessary.”

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Alise Maripuu, Bay City News

Alise is a general assignment reporter with a focus on covering government, elections, housing, crime, courts and entertainment in San Francisco and on the Peninsula. Alise is a Bay Area native from San Carlos. She studied history at University of California, Santa Cruz and first started journalism at Skyline College’s school newspaper in San Bruno. She has interned for Bay City News and for Eesti Rahvusringhääling, or Estonian Public Broadcasting. She has covered everything from the removal of former San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus to the divisive battle over the Great Highway on San Francisco’s west side. Please send her any tips.

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