BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 3784

By: Frank

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The bill author has informed the committee that in Texas and across the United States, male children, adolescents, and adults are increasingly experiencing inferior outcomes compared to their female counterparts in educational attainment, economic well-being, criminal behavior, mental health, familial stability, and social well-being. The bill author has additionally informed the committee that these disparities reveal not only that boys and men are struggling to graduate college, secure and maintain employment, maintain family bonds, and preserve their own personal well-being, but that boys and men are struggling to lead fulfilling and independent lives as fathers, husbands, and pillars of civic life alongside women. C.S.H.B. 3784 seeks to create the Commission for Boys and Men to conduct a systematic study of conditions and issues affecting boys, male youth, and men in Texas. Specifically, the study will identify and define their needs, assess the issues that impact males as they pertain to family, education, workforce participation, and crime, and evaluate the laws and regulations that could negatively impact the ability of boys, male youth, and men to achieve prosperity and realize their full potential.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 3784 includes legislative findings regarding the following:

·         boys, male youth, and men increasingly experience disparities in key indicators of well-being, including educational achievement, workforce participation, economic prosperity, marriage, paternal involvement, substance abuse, incarceration, and deaths of despair, including suicide;

·         men who embrace their roles as husbands, fathers, workers, providers, and community leaders are essential to a strong, healthy Texas;

·         the loss of positive masculinity negatively impacts the residents, culture, and prosperity of Texas; and

·         it is necessary to establish a commission to promote the well-being of the boys, male youth, and men of Texas and revitalize a culture that embraces and values traditional, positive masculinity.

 

C.S.H.B. 3784 creates the Texas Commission for Boys and Men to promote the success and well-being of boys, male youth, and men in Texas. The bill establishes the composition of the 11-member commission as follows:

·         five members appointed by the governor;

·         three members appointed by the lieutenant governor; and

·         three members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

The bill requires the commission members to have a background and demonstrated expertise in any of the following areas:

·         economics;

·         education;

·         criminal justice;

·         marriage and family therapy;

·         fatherhood initiatives;

·         promoting traditional, positive masculinity;

·         treatment of substance use disorders;

·         health care; and

·         mental health.

The bill requires the appropriate appointing authority to appoint the commission members not later than the 60th day after the bill's effective date. The bill requires the governor to designate a commission member to serve as the presiding officer. A member of the commission is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement of expenses.

 

C.S.H.B. 3784 requires the commission to conduct a systematic study of the conditions and issues affecting boys, male youth, and men in Texas. The bill requires the study to do the following:

·         identify and define the specific needs of boys, male youth, and men;

·         assess issues and outcomes affecting the well-being of boys, male youth, and men, including in the areas of marriage, family stability, fatherhood, paternal involvement, academic performance in primary and secondary and postsecondary education, workforce participation, wages, income, poverty, physical and mental health, involvement with the criminal justice system, substance use and abuse, violence, and death rates;

·         evaluate state laws and regulations and identify the laws and regulations that negatively affect the ability of boys, male youth, and men to achieve prosperity and realize their full potential; and

·         make recommendations, including changes to state laws, policies, and programs, for improving the conditions and outcomes in the aforementioned areas.

The bill authorizes the commission to request and receive information, data, and assistance from any state agency or department or any political subdivision of the state in carrying out the commission's duties.

 

C.S.H.B. 3784 requires the commission, not later than November 1, 2026, to publish the results of the required study and to prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a written report that includes the results of the study and recommendations for legislative or other action to promote the well-being and prosperity of boys, male youth, and men in Texas and advance a culture that values traditional, positive masculinity, including recommendations regarding specific statutes or regulations that the commission recommends enacting, repealing, or amending. The commission is abolished and the bill's provisions expire December 31, 2026.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.

 

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 3784 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

The introduced made findings regarding positive manhood, whereas the substitute makes findings regarding positive masculinity.

 

The introduced made a finding that the loss of positive manhood negatively impacts the citizens of Texas, whereas the substitute finds that the loss of positive masculinity impacts the residents of Texas.

 

Whereas the introduced required the commission to assess issues impacting the well-being of boys, male youth, and men in certain specified areas, the substitute requires the commission to assess issues and outcomes affecting the well-being of those people, including in those specified areas.

 

While both the introduced and the substitute authorize the commission to request and receive information, data, and assistance from any applicable entity, the substitute includes a specification absent from the introduced that such information, data, and assistance be related to the carrying out of the commission's duties.

 

The introduced required the commission, not later than November 1, 2026, to publish the required study and to make recommendations to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives for policies, programs, and strategies for promoting the well-being and prosperity of boys, male youth, and men in Texas and advancing a culture that values traditional, positive manhood, whereas the substitute requires the commission, not later than November 1, 2026, to publish the results of the required study and to prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a written report that includes the results of the study and the applicable recommendations for legislative or other action.