(a)There is established a Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health, to document and make recommendations to decrease the effect of racism on public health. The commission shall be part of the Legislative Department.
(b)The commission shall have an advisory body that shall consist of the following members:
(1)Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a representative of a nonprofit organization that focuses on health policy and racial equity issues and shall serve as cochairperson of the advisory body, one of whom shall be a representative of a nonprofit organization that focuses on racial equity and community engagement and one of whom shall be an expert in immigration policy and law;
(2)Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the
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(a) There is established a Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health, to document and make recommendations to decrease the effect of racism on public health. The commission shall be part of the Legislative Department. (b) The commission shall have an advisory body that shall consist of the following members: (1) Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a representative of a nonprofit organization that focuses on health policy and racial equity issues and shall serve as cochairperson of the advisory body, one of whom shall be a representative of a nonprofit organization that focuses on racial equity and community engagement and one of whom shall be an expert in immigration policy and law; (2) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a health disparities expert affiliated with an academic research institution and shall serve as cochairperson of the advisory board, one of whom shall be a representative of a violence intervention program using a health-based approach to examine individuals post-incarceration and policies for integration and one of whom shall be a representative of a philanthropic entity that focuses on racial equity; (3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a representative of a nonpartisan criminal justice policy and research entity and one of whom shall be a biostatistician or epidemiologist with knowledge of the effects of social-structural factors on health; (4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be a representative of a nonprofit that focuses on equitable housing policy and one of whom shall be a medical professional with expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion policy; (5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be an expert in environmental impacts on human health who is affiliated with an academic institution and one of whom shall be a representative of a nonprofit that focuses on economic research and policy; (6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be a public health educator or researcher affiliated with an academic institution and one of whom shall be a current or former educator, school counselor or school nurse with public policy experience; and (7) One appointed by the chairperson of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus who shall be an education policy researcher affiliated with an academic research institution. (c) Any member of the advisory body appointed under subdivisions (1) to (7), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly. All initial appointments to the advisory body made under subdivisions (1) to (7), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section shall be made not later than sixty days after June 14, 2021. Appointed members shall serve a term that is coterminous with the appointing official and may serve more than one term. (d) The cochairpersons of the advisory body shall schedule the first meeting of the advisory body, which shall be held not later than sixty days after June 12, 2023. If appointments under subsection (b) of this section are not made within such sixty-day period, the chairpersons may designate individuals with the required qualifications stated for the applicable appointment to serve on the commission until appointments are made pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. (e) Members shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term. (f) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business and any decision shall be by a majority vote of those present at a meeting, except the commission may establish such committees, subcommittees or other entities as it deems necessary to further the purposes of the commission. The advisory body may adopt rules of procedure. (g) The members of the advisory body shall serve without compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. (h) The advisory body, by majority vote, shall confirm the hire of an executive director of the commission. (i) The commission shall have the following powers and duties: To (1) support collaboration by bringing together partners from many different sectors to recognize the links between health and other issues and policy areas and build new partnerships to promote health and equity and increase government efficiency; (2) create a comprehensive strategic plan to eliminate health disparities and inequities across sectors, in accordance with section 19a-133b ; (3) study the impact that the public health crisis of racism has on vulnerable populations within diverse groups of the state population, including on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability, including, but not limited to, Black American descendants of slavery; (4) obtain from any legislative or executive department, board, commission or other agency of the state or any organization or other entity such assistance as necessary and available to carry out the purposes of this section; (5) accept any gift, donation or bequest for the purpose of performing the duties described in this section; (6) establish bylaws to govern its procedures; and (7) perform such other acts as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the duties described in this section, including, but not limited to, the creation of subcommittees. (j) The commission shall engage with a diverse range of community members, including people of color who identify as members of diverse groups of the state population, including on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability, who experience inequities in health, to make recommendations to the relevant state agencies or other entities on an ongoing basis concerning the following: (1) Structural racism in the state's laws and regulations impacting public health, where, as used in this subdivision, “structural racism” means a system that structures opportunity and assigns value in a way that disproportionally and negatively impacts Black, Indigenous, Latino or Asian people or other people of color; (2) racial disparities in the state's criminal justice system and its impact on the health and well-being of individuals and families, including overall health outcomes and rates of depression, suicide, substance use disorder and chronic disease; (3) racial disparities in access to the resources necessary for healthy living, including, but not limited to, access to adequate fresh food and physical activity, public safety and the decrease of pollution in communities; (4) racial disparities in health outcomes; (5) the impact of zoning restrictions on the creation of housing disparities and such disparities' impact on public health; (6) racial disparities in state hiring and contracting processes; and (7) any suggestions to reduce the impact of the public health crisis of racism within the vulnerable populations studied under subdivision (3) of subsection (i) of this section. (k) Not later than January 1, 2022, and every six months thereafter, the commission shall submit a report to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a , concerning (1) the activities of the commission during the prior six-month period; (2) any progress made in attaining the goal described in subsection (c) of section 19a-133b ; (3) any recommended changes to such goal based on the research conducted by the commission, any disparity study performed by any state agency or entity, or any community input received; (4) the status of the comprehensive strategic plan required under section 19a-133b ; and (5) any recommendations for policy changes or amendments to state law.