By Sibley S.B. No. 1597
76R8931 BDH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation and operation of the Texas Commission on
1-3 Men.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Chapter 468 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 468. TEXAS COMMISSION ON MEN
1-8 SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
1-9 Sec. 468.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter, "commission"
1-10 means the Texas Commission on Men.
1-11 Sec. 468.002. SUNSET PROVISION. The Texas Commission on Men
1-12 is subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
1-13 existence as provided by that chapter, the commission is abolished
1-14 and this chapter expires September 1, 2004.
1-15 Sec. 468.003. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION. The commission
1-16 consists of 24 members appointed by the governor with the advice
1-17 and consent of the senate. Each member must be a medical or
1-18 academic expert or community leader in the area of men's health or
1-19 family involvement or an active member of an organization active in
1-20 men's health or family involvement issues.
1-21 Sec. 468.004. APPOINTMENT. (a) Appointments to the
1-22 commission shall be made without regard to the race, color,
1-23 disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the
1-24 appointees.
2-1 (b) Appointments to the commission shall be made so that
2-2 each geographic area of the state is represented on the commission.
2-3 Sec. 468.005. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST; REMOVAL PROVISIONS.
2-4 (a) A person may not serve as a member of the commission if the
2-5 person is required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305
2-6 because of the person's activities for compensation on behalf of a
2-7 profession related to the operation of the commission.
2-8 (b) It is a ground for removal from the commission if a
2-9 member:
2-10 (1) violates a prohibition established by this
2-11 section;
2-12 (2) cannot because of illness or disability discharge
2-13 the member's duties for a substantial part of the term for which
2-14 the member is appointed; or
2-15 (3) is absent from more than half of the regularly
2-16 scheduled commission meetings that the member is eligible to attend
2-17 during a calendar year unless the absence is excused by majority
2-18 vote of the commission.
2-19 (c) The validity of an action of the commission is not
2-20 affected by the fact that it is taken when a ground for removal of
2-21 a commission member exists.
2-22 (d) If a member of the commission has knowledge that a
2-23 potential ground for removal exists, the member shall notify the
2-24 presiding officer of the commission of the potential ground. The
2-25 presiding officer shall then notify the governor and the attorney
2-26 general that a potential ground for removal exists.
2-27 Sec. 468.006. TERMS. Members of the commission serve terms
3-1 of two years.
3-2 Sec. 468.007. OFFICERS; SUBCOMMITTEES. (a) The commission
3-3 annually shall elect one of its members as presiding officer.
3-4 (b) The presiding officer of the commission may appoint
3-5 subcommittees for any purpose consistent with the duties of the
3-6 commission under this chapter.
3-7 Sec. 468.008. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. A member of the
3-8 commission is not entitled to compensation, but is entitled to
3-9 reimbursement from commission funds for the travel expenses
3-10 incurred by the member while conducting the business of the
3-11 commission, as provided by the General Appropriations Act.
3-12 Sec. 468.009. MEETINGS; PUBLIC ACCESS. (a) The commission
3-13 may meet at the times and places that the commission designates.
3-14 (b) The commission shall develop and implement policies that
3-15 provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear before
3-16 the commission and to speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of
3-17 the commission.
3-18 Sec. 468.010. ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT. The commission shall
3-19 prepare annually a complete and detailed written report accounting
3-20 for all funds received and disbursed by the commission during the
3-21 preceding fiscal year. The annual report must meet the reporting
3-22 requirements applicable to financial reporting provided in the
3-23 General Appropriations Act.
3-24 (Sections 468.011-468.030 reserved for expansion)
3-25 SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES; FUNDING
3-26 Sec. 468.031. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The
3-27 commission shall:
4-1 (1) adopt rules as necessary for its own procedures;
4-2 (2) develop strategies and programs, including
4-3 community outreach and public-private partnerships, designed to:
4-4 (A) raise public awareness of critical men's
4-5 issues, including the dangers of cancer, heart disease, and drugs
4-6 and alcohol abuse, and the importance of paternal influence in the
4-7 family; and
4-8 (B) encourage the participation of men and boys
4-9 in healthy behaviors, academic achievement, and family involvement;
4-10 (3) organize community workshops to identify issues
4-11 affecting men's health and family involvement;
4-12 (4) monitor state and federal policy and legislation
4-13 that may affect the areas of men's health and family involvement;
4-14 (5) recommend assistance, services, and policy changes
4-15 that will further the goals of the commission; and
4-16 (6) submit a report of its findings and
4-17 recommendations under this chapter to the governor, the lieutenant
4-18 governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives not later
4-19 than October 1 of each even-numbered year.
4-20 Sec. 468.032. DONATIONS; APPROPRIATIONS; AUDIT. The
4-21 commission may solicit and accept donations, gifts, grants,
4-22 property, or matching funds from a public or private source for the
4-23 use of the commission in performing its functions under this
4-24 chapter.
4-25 Sec. 468.033. TEXAS COMMISSION ON MEN ACCOUNT. The Texas
4-26 Commission on Men Account is created as an account in the general
4-27 revenue fund. The commission shall remit all money collected under
5-1 this chapter to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the
5-2 account. Money in the account may be appropriated only to the
5-3 commission for administration of this chapter.
5-4 SECTION 2. As soon as possible after the effective date of
5-5 this Act, the governor shall appoint initial members of the Texas
5-6 Commission on Men.
5-7 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
5-8 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
5-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.