San Francisco Voters Show Support For Sit/Lie Ban

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- In early returns, voters were supporting an ordinance that makes it illegal to sit or lie on San Francisco sidewalks.

Measure L, known as the "sit/lie" ordinance, would ban sitting or lying on sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

The ordinance requires police to issue a warning before citing or fining anyone, but repeat offenders could face jail time.

The city's Board of Supervisors voted down a sit/lie ordinance in June, prompting Mayor Gavin Newsom to take the issue straight to voters.

In response, opponents backed a competing ordinance, Measure M, which would invalidate Measure L if both pass.

Measure M was trailing 56-to-43-percent after early returns.

Proponents of sit/lie said residents in some neighborhoods are often harrassed by people who sit all day on sidewalks.

Opponents said the measure unfairly targets the homeless.