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A4701
ASSEMBLY, No. 4701
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MARCH 16, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Venezia and Assemblywoman Morales
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes men�s health commission in DOH.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
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.