Maryland Commission for Boys' and Men's Health - Establishment

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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HOUSE BILL 341
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By: Delegates Wims, Kaiser, Kaufman, J. Long, Pruski, Schindler, Spiegel,
Stinnett, and Tomlinson
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2026
Assigned to: Health

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Maryland Commission for Boys’ and Men’s Health – Establishment 2

FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Commission for Boys’ and Men’s Health in 3
the Maryland Department of Health; and generally relating to the Maryland 4
Commission for Boys’ and Men’s Health. 5

BY adding to 6
Article – Health – General 7
Section 13 –2401 through 13 –2409 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 24. 8
Maryland Commission for Boys’ and Men’s Health” 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

Preamble 12

WHEREAS, Boys and men in Maryland experience disproportionately high rates of 13
chronic disease, suicide, substance use overdose deaths, and other causes of premature 14
mortality; and 15

WHEREAS, These outcomes are influenced by social determinants such as housing 16
instability, unemployment, and limited educational attainment; and 17

WHEREAS, Targeted, evidence–based interventions are needed to promote health 18
equity, strengthen families, and improve life expectancy for boys and men in Maryland; 19
and 20

WHEREAS, Improving the health and well –being of boys and men in Maryland is 21
essential to family and community stability, economic productivity, and public health; now, 22
therefore, 23

2 HOUSE BILL 341

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2

Article – Health – General 3

SUBTITLE 24. MARYLAND COMMISSION FOR BOYS’ AND MEN’S HEALTH. 4

13–2401. 5

IN THIS SUBTITLE, “COMMISSION” MEANS THE MARYLAND COMMISSION FOR 6
BOYS’ AND MEN’S HEALTH. 7

13–2402. 8

THERE IS A MARYLAND COMMISSION FOR BOYS’ AND MEN’S HEALTH IN THE 9
DEPARTMENT. 10

13–2403. 11

(A) THE COMMISSION CONSISTS OF 18 MEMBERS. 12

(B) (1) THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL BE 13
APPOINTED FROM AMONG APPLICANTS WHO HAVE BEEN NOMINATED AND 14
RECOMMENDED FOR APPO INTMENT BY ORGANIZAT IONS LOCATED IN THE STATE 15
WHOSE INTERESTS RELATE TO BOYS’ AND MEN’S HEALTH OR FAMILY INVOLVEMENT: 16

(I) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; 17

(II) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE 18
SENATE; AND 19

(III) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE 20
HOUSE. 21

(2) THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL BE 22
APPOINTED FROM APPLICANTS APPLYING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF: 23

(I) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; 24

(II) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE 25
SENATE; AND 26

(III) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE 27
HOUSE. 28
HOUSE BILL 341 3

(C) (1) A MEMBER SERVES AT THE PLEASURE OF THE APPOINTING 1
AUTHORITY. 2

(2) THE TERM OF A MEMBER IS 4 YEARS. 3

(3) AT THE END OF A TERM , THE MEMBER CONTINUES TO SERVE 4
UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED AND QUALIFIES. 5

(4) A MEMBER WHO IS APPOINTED AFTER A TERM HAS BEGUN SERVES 6
ONLY FOR THE REST OF THE TERM AND UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINT ED AND 7
QUALIFIES. 8

(5) THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY MAY AUTHORIZE A MEMBER TO 9
SERVE A SECOND CONSE CUTIVE TERM WITHOUT GOING THROUGH TH E FORMAL 10
APPOINTMENT PROCESS. 11

(6) A MEMBER MAY NOT SERVE MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE 12
TERMS. 13

(D) A MEMBER: 14

(1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 15
COMMISSION; BUT 16

(2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 17
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET. 18

(E) THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AT LEAST 10 TIMES EACH YEAR. 19

(F) A MEMBER WHO FAILS TO ATTEND AT LEAST 50% OF THE REGULARLY 20
SCHEDULED MEETINGS D URING A 12–MONTH PERIOD SHALL B E CONSIDERED TO 21
HAVE RESIGNED. 22

(G) THE COMMISSION SHALL MAKE EACH VACANCY ON THE COMMISSION 23
KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC. 24

13–2404. 25

(A) THE COMMISSION SHALL ELEC T A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR FROM 26
AMONG ITS MEMBERS. 27

4 HOUSE BILL 341

(B) THE COMMISSION MAY APPOIN T ANY OFFICERS THAT IT CONSIDERS 1
NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT ITS DUTIES. 2

13–2405. 3

(A) THE COMMISSION SHALL: 4

(1) PERIODICALLY REVIEW H EALTH DATA TO INFORM STRATEGIES 5
AIMED AT REDUCING NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF BOYS AND MEN FOR 6
SPECIFIC HEALTH CONDITIONS, INCLUDING PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR CANCER, 7
ORAL CANCER , CARDIOVASCULAR DISEA SE, DEPRESSION, DIABETES, AND 8
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS; 9

(2) COLLABORATE WITH PART NERS TO SHAPE AND AD VISE ON 10
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS , INCLUDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND 11
PUBLIC–PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, DESIGNED TO: 12

(I) RAISE PUBLIC AWARENES S OF BOYS’ AND MEN’S HEALTH 13
ISSUES, INCLUDING HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BOYS 14
AND MEN AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PATERNAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE FAMILY; 15

(II) SUPPORT BOYS ’ AND MEN ’S PARTICIPATION IN 16
HEALTH–PROMOTING ACTIVITIES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES , 17
INCLUDING REGULAR PHYSICIAN CHECKUPS, EARLY DETECTION AND PREVENTIVE 18
HEALTH SCREENINGS, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PRACTICES; AND 19

(III) IDENTIFY AND PROMOTE STRATEGIES TO R EDUCE OR 20
ELIMINATE HEALTH DISPARITIES RELATED TO MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AMONG 21
BOYS AND MEN; 22

(3) PROMOTE GENDER AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CARE ACROSS 23
THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE STATE; AND 24

(4) MONITOR FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY AND LEGI SLATION THAT 25
MAY AFFECT THE AREAS OF BOYS’ AND MEN’S HEALTH AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT. 26

(B) THE COMMISSION SHALL CONS IDER POPULATION DIVE RSITY WHEN 27
CARRYING OUT THE DUT IES ESTABLISHED UNDE R SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS 28
SECTION. 29

13–2406. 30

HOUSE BILL 341 5

(A) THE COMMISSION, SUBJECT TO THE APPRO VAL OF THE SECRETARY, 1
MAY ACCEPT: 2

(1) FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBTITLE; AND 3

(2) PRIVATE GIFTS AND DON ATIONS FROM INDIVIDU ALS, PRIVATE 4
ORGANIZATIONS, OR FOUNDATIONS. 5

(B) THE ACCEPTANCE AND US E OF FEDERAL FUNDS M AY NOT BE 6
CONSIDERED A COMMITM ENT OF STATE FUNDS AND PLACE S NO OBLIGATION ON 7
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CONTINUE THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THE FUNDS ARE 8
AVAILABLE. 9

13–2407. 10

EACH UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT SHAL L FULLY COOPERATE WI TH THE 11
COMMISSION IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE COMMISSION’S DUTIES. 12

13–2408. 13

(A) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30 EACH YEAR, THE COMMISSION SHALL 14
SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIO NS FOR POLICY CHANGE S THAT WILL FURTHER THE 15
GOALS OF THE COMMISSION TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 16
2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE 17
AND THE HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE. 18

(B) THE REPORT SUBMITTED IN 2028 AND EVERY 2 YEARS THEREAFTER 19
SHALL INCLUDE PROGRESS INDICATORS AND DATA TRENDS BASED ON THE 20
COMMISSION’S ACTIVITIES. 21

13–2409. 22

THE COMMISSION MAY NOT ADOPT REGULATIONS. 23

SECTION 2. AN D BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, in making appointments 24
under this Act, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House 25
shall ensure to the extent practicable geographic, demographic, and professional diversity 26
among the membership of the Maryland Commission for Boys’ and Men’s Health. 27

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2026. 29