Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the July twenty first, twenty twenty five Rules Committee meeting.

I am the Chair Supervisor Shaman Walton, joined by Supervisor Cheryl, who's our Vice Chair, and our President, Supervisor Mendelman.

Today's clerk is Victor Young, and I want to thank Kalina Mendoza for advertising today's meeting on SFGov TV and making sure that this committee is available to the public.

All right.

We are back to our regularly scheduled rules committee meeting and want to thank our tech people for making sure that we got this back on track, and I also want to thank our clerk Victor Young.

And Mr.

Clerk, do we have any announcements for today's meeting?

Yes, public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda when your item of interest comes up and public comment is called.

Email them to myself, the rules committee clerk at VICTOR.org.

Documents to be included as part of the file should be submitted.

Items act upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors Agenda of July twenty eighth, two thousand twenty-five, unless otherwise stated.

And EMS Behavioral Health Foundation to the list of organizations to which city officers and employees may make donations by payroll deduction.

There is requested to be sent out as a committee report.

Supervisor Mendelman.

Thank you, Chair Walton.

Colleagues, Chapter 16, Article 5 of the Administrative Code allows employees of the city and county of San Francisco to donate a portion of their paychecks to the designated organizations.

These include credit unions, employee associations, and local charitable funds that support San Francisco's firefighters, police officers, and city workers.

Through this program, employees can choose to contribute money, pay dues, or purchase shares to support financial services, benefits, and community programs.

The legislation before us today would add the San Francisco Firefighter and EMS Behavioral Health Foundation to the list of eligible payroll deduction organizations.

Every year, more of our firefighters face behavioral health challenges.

This foundation working in partnership with San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 and other Bay Bay Area organizations provides emergency financial assistance to active and retired firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

The assistance they offer goes beyond what standards city employee benefits cover.

It can help pay for travel, fuel, food, lodging, time off work, child care, elder care, pet care, clothing, and short-term counseling support, bridging the gap between a moment of crisis and longer term care.

The foundation works works closely with the fire department's behavioral health unit and loved ones to identify members in need and respond quickly.

While small, this organization is doing life-saving work, adding it to the city's payroll deduction program as a simple but meaningful way to support the health and well-being of the people who put their lives on the line for San Francisco every day.

I want to thank former Chief Sandy Tong, who uh brought this idea to us.

I also want to thank uh Walter Villa Vicencio from the San Francisco Firefighter and EMS Foundation for all of his work and advocacy on behalf of our firefighters.

I want to thank Melanie Matthewson in my office, Brad Russian in the city attorney's office.

Of course, of course, I want to thank Local 798, which is uh here, and uh current Chief Crispin, who's been very supportive of this as well.

Um, and I think that's all I got.

Thank you, colleagues.

I uh would ask that you forward this to the full board with positive recommendation.

Thank you, Supervisor Mandelman and Supervisor Shiro.

Uh Mr.

Clerk, can you have me as a co-sponsor to this item?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Clerk, please add me as a co-sponsor as well.

And we will go to public comment on this item.

Yes, members of the public wish to speak on this item.

She'd like them to speak at this time.

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

How are you doing?

Good morning.

Uh President Mendelman, uh Supervisor Cheryl, and Supervisor Walton.

My name is Walter Vicencio.

I am a retired San Francisco firefighter and currently serve as president of the San Francisco Firefighter and EMS Behavioral Health Foundation.

You've all received an information packet concerning our foundation.

I want to highlight a few points that are important to us.

Our mission is simple.

We're here to bridge a financial gap through emergency grants to any SFFD member retired or active in a behavioral health crisis who wants to get help and but cannot afford the necessary resources for that help.

Two, our foundation's strength is our board, 16 active and retired SFFD members and one mental health clinician.

They are dedicated and thoughtful volunteers who know how to listen, treat our SFFD community with respect and dignity, and uh understand the importance of confidentiality.

Three, since uh our foundation in April of 2023 became was recognized by uh the IRS as a 501c3 foundation nonprofit, and since then we have assisted 13 members with emergency financial grants and eight others, we guided them to uh the support they needed.

Uh, can I continue or I heard about uh still have 23 seconds?

Okay, great, thank you.

In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to you, President Manelman, for your willingness to sponsor the legislation to amend the administration code for payroll deduction, allowing SFFD membership to donate to our foundation and to the rules committee.

Thank you for your support and consideration in amending the administrative code.

Please feel free to not hesitate to uh reach out uh for any questions you may have.