A4701

An Act establishing a men’s health commission within the Department of Health, and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares:

a. Men and women have differing life expectancies and the gap is increasing in the United States, while, in Europe, the gap is decreasing.

b. American men die, on average, approximately six years earlier than American women and the gap was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

c. The causes of death among American men vary by race, sex, and age with men experiencing more health loss from heart disease earlier in life than women, and minority men experiencing more chronic stress throughout their life while having access to fewer resources to help manage their health.

d. In 2023 in the US, the life expectancy at birth for Hispanic men was 78.5 years, 66.7 years for American Indian and Alaska Native men, 83.2 years for Asian men, 70.3 years for Black men, and 76 years for White men.

e. While life expectancy increased between 2022 and 2023, life expectancy for men and women has not recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and the life expectancy of men has seen slower growth than the life expectancy of women.

f. Additionally, health-seeking behaviors differ between men and women, with men less likely to seek help overall.

g. It is important to establish equity between men’s health and women’s health and therefore, a commission on men’s health to research and implement policies to improve men’s health should be established in the Department of Health.

2. a. There is established within the Department of Health a commission for men’s health.

b. The members of the commission shall be residents of the State and shall be composed of 25 members in the following manner:

(1) the Commissioner of Health, or a designee, shall serve ex officio;

(2) four members to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate;

(3) four members to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

(4) four members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly;

(5) six members to be appointed from among individuals who have been nominated and recommended for appointment by organizations whose interests relate to men’s health, with two members to be appointed by the Governor, two by the President of the Senate, and two by the Speaker of the General Assembly; and

(6) six members to be appointed from applicants applying on their own behalf, with two members to be appointed by the Governor, two by the President of the Senate, and two by the Speaker of the General Assembly.

To the extent practicable, the Governor and the Legislature shall ensure geographic diversity among the membership of the commission, without regard to race, color, disability, gender, religion, age, or national origins of the members.

c. A member shall serve for a term of four years, except of the members first appointed, eight shall serve for a term of three years, nine shall serve for a term of four years, and seven shall serve for a term of five years. A member shall not serve more than two consecutive terms. At the end of a term, a member may continue to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified. A vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term only.

d. The members shall annually elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the public members. The commission may appoint any additional officers from among the commission members as necessary to carry out the duties of the commission. The members may select a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.

e. The commission shall organize and meet within 30 days of the appointment of the final member. Thereafter, the commission shall meet upon the call of the chair or upon the call of the majority of the members. The commission shall meet, at minimum, four times a year. A member who fails to attend at least 50 percent of the meetings scheduled during a 12-month period shall be considered to have resigned.

f. A member shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, within the limits of funds available to the commission.

g. The Department of Health shall provide any staff assistance required to support the work of the commission. The commission is authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or agency of the State to supply such data, or other information as it deems necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the commission.

3. a. The commission shall have the following duties:

(1) develop strategies and programs, including community outreach and public-private partnerships, designed to:

(a) raise public awareness of men’s health issues, including health programs that disproportionately affect men and the importance of paternal influence in the family;

(b) encourage the participation of men in healthy behaviors and family involvement;

(c) educate men of this State on the benefits of regular physician check-ups, early detection and preventative health screening tests, and healthy lifestyle practices; and

(d) reduce or eliminate disparities in morbidity and mortality for specific diseases among racial and ethnic minorities and underserved populations;

(2) review the health status of men in the State and focus on health outcomes of men for specific diseases, including prostate and testicular cancer, oral cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes;

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

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

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

b. The commission shall consider population diversity when carrying out the duties of the commission as established in subsection a. of this section.

c. One calendar year following the first meeting of the commission and annually thereafter, the commission shall issue a report to the Governor, and pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, on the activities of the commission of the preceding year and recommendations on policy initiatives for the advancement of men’s health.

4. a. Subject to approval by the Commissioner of Health, the commission may accept:

(1) federal funds for the purposes of this act; and

(2) private gifts and donations from individuals, private organizations, or foundations.

b. The acceptance and use of federal funds may not be considered a commitment of State funds and places no obligation on the State to continue the purpose for which the funds are available.

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a men’s health commission within the Department of Health. The commission would be composed of 25 members with 24 public members being variously appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Commissioner of Health, or a designee, serving ex officio as the 25th member.

The commission would have the following duties:

· Develop strategies and programs, including community outreach and public-private partnerships, designed to: (1) raise public awareness of men’s health issues, including health programs that disproportionately affect men and the importance of paternal influence in the family; (2) encourage the participation of men in healthy behaviors and family involvement; (3) educate men of this State on the benefits of regular physician check-ups, early detection and preventative health screening tests, and healthy lifestyle practices; and (4) reduce or eliminate disparities in morbidity and mortality for specific diseases among racial and ethnic minorities and underserved populations;

· Review the health status of men in the State and focus on health outcomes of men for specific diseases, including prostate and testicular cancer, oral cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes;

· Organize community workshops to identify issues affecting men’s health and family involvement;

· Monitor federal and State policy and legislation that may affect the areas of men’s health and family involvement; and

· Recommend assistance, services, and policy changes that will further the goals of the commission.

The commission would annually submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature regarding the commission’s activities of the preceding year and recommendation on policy initiatives for the advancement of men’s health.

Additionally, the commission could accept, with the approval of the Commissioner of Health, any federal funds, and any private gifts or donations from individuals, private organizations, or foundations, to further the purposes of this bill.