An Act Relating to the Creation and Operation of the Commission on Men Exposed

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An Act Relating to the Creation and Operation of the Commission on Men was adopted by ALEC's Health and Human Service Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit in December, 2003, approved by the ALEC Board of Directors January, 2004. ALEC has attempted to distance itself from this piece of legislation after the launch of ALECexposed.org in 2011, but it has done nothing to get it repealed in the states where it previously pushed for it to be made into law.

ALEC Bill Text

A BILL TO BE ENACTED

AN ACT relating to the creation and operation of the Commission on Men.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATION OF THE STATE OF :

The Legislature makes the following findings:

(1) There is a silent health crisis affecting the health and well-being of (your state’s) men;

(2) This health crisis is of particular concern to men, but is also a concern for women, and especially to those who have fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers;

(3) Men’s health is likewise a concern for employers who lose productive employees as well as pay the costs of medical care, and is a concern to state government and society which absorb the enormous costs of premature death and disability, including the costs of caring for dependants left behind;

(4) The life expectancy gap between men and women has steadily increased for one year in 1920 to six years in 2000;

(5) Men die at higher rates for the top 10 causes of death;

(6) An estimated 180,000 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer this year alone, of which almost 29,000 will die;

(7) The incidence of prostate cancer and the resulting mortality rate in African American men is twice as much as white men;

(8) Studies show that women are 100% more likely that men to have regular physician check-ups and obtain preventative screening tests for serious diseases;

(9) Appropriate use of tests such as prostate specific antigen (PSA) exams and blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screens, in conjunction with clinical exams and self-testing, can result in the early detection of many problems and in increased survival rates;

(10) Educating men, their families, and health care providers about the importance if early detection of male health problems can result in reducing rates of mortality for male-specific diseases, as well as improve the health of (your state’s) men and its overall economic well-being;

(11) Fatherlessness is a severe social problem and children who have a poor or non-existent relationship with their father are the largest users of state-funded juvenile services;

(12) A Commission on Men (or, Men’s Health) is needed to investigate these findings and take such further actions as nay be needed to promote men’s health in this state.

SECTION . Subtitle , Title , Government Code, is amended by adding Chapter , to read as follows:

CHAPTER . COMMISSION ON MEN (or, MEN’S HEALTH)

SUBCHAPTER A. GENEREAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Sec. . 004. DEFINITIONS.

(a) In this “chapter,” commission means the commission on Men.

Sec. . 003. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. The commission consists of 12 members: four members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; for members appointed by the presiding officer of the Senate; and four members appointed by the presiding officer of the house of representatives. Each member must be a medical or academic expert or community leader in the area of men’s health or family involvement or an active member of an organization active in men’s health or family involvement issues.

Sec. . 004. APPOINTMENT.

(a) Appointments to the commission shall be made without regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the appointees.
(b) Appointments to the commission shall be made so that each geographic area of the state is represented on the commissions.

Sec. . 005. TERMS. Members of the commission serve terms of two years.

Sec. . 006. OFFICERS; SUBCOMMITTEES.

(a) The commission annually shall elect one of its members as presiding officer.
(b) The presiding officer of the commission may appoint subcommittees for any purpose consistent with the duties of the commission under this chapter.

Sec. . 007. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. A member if the commission is not entitled to compensation, but is entitled to reimbursement from commission funds for the travel expense incurred by the member while conducting the business of the commission, as provided by the General Appropriations Act.

Sec. . 008. MEETINGS; PUBLIC ACCESS.

(a) The commission may meet at the times and places that the commission designates.
(b) The commission shall develop and implement policies that provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear before the commission and to speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the commission.

Sec. . 009. ANNUAL FINANCE REPORT. The commission shall prepare annually a complete and detailed written report accounting for all funds received and disbursed by the commission during the preceding year fiscal year. The annual report must meet the reporting requirements applicable to financial reporting provided in the General Appropriations Act.

(Sections . 010 - . 030 reserved for expansion)

SUBCHAPETER B. POWERS AND DUTIES; FUNDING

Sec. . 031. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The commission shall:

(1) adopt rules as necessary for its own procedures;

(2) develop strategies and programs, including community outreach and publicprivate partnerships, designed to:

(A) raise public awareness of critical men’s issues, including those health problems which disproportionately affect men and boys, and the importance of paternal influence in the family; and
(B) encourage the participation of men and boys in healthy behaviors, academic achievement, and family involvement;
(C) develop strategies. Public policy recommendations, and programs, including community outreach and public-private partnerships, that are designed to educate (your state’s) men and boys on the benefits of regular physician check-ups, early detection and preventative screening tests, and healthy lifestyle practices;

(3) organize community workshops to identify issues affecting men’s health and family involvement;

(4) monitor state and federal policy and legislation that may affect that areas of men’s health and family involvement;

(5) recommend assistance, services, and policy changes that will further the goals of the commission; and

(6) submit a report of its findings and recommendations under this chapter to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speak of the house of representatives not later than October 1 of each year.

Sec. . 032. DONATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, AUDIT. The commission may solicit and accept donations, gifts, grants, property, grants, or matching funds from a public or private source for the use of the commission in performing its functions under this chapter.

Sec. . 033. COMMISSION ON MEN ACCOUNT. The Commission on Men Account is created as an account in the general revenue fund. The commission shall remit all money collected under this chapter to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the account. Money in the account may be appropriated only to the commission for administration of this chapter.

SECTION 2. The Commission on Men shall be appointed within six months of the effective date of this act.

Section 3. This Act takes effect , 20 .


Adopted by the Health and Human Services Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit in December, 2003. Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors January, 2004.