1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; appropriating money to evaluate and develop strategies to 
1.3 	address menthol-flavored cigarette usage in the African-American community 
1.4 	and to develop strategies to address cigarette usage and the harm in that 
1.5 	community; appropriating money.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. MENTHOL CIGARETTE STUDY IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN 
1.8 	COMMUNITY.
 1.9 	(a) The commissioner of health, in consultation with representatives of the 
1.10 	African-American community and other interested stakeholders, shall evaluate the current 
1.11 	attitudes and beliefs related to menthol-flavored cigarette usage among African-Americans 
1.12 	in Minnesota and make recommendations based on this evaluation on ways to reduce the 
1.13 	disproportionately high usage of cigarettes by African-Americans, especially the use of 
1.14 	menthol-flavored cigarettes, as well as the disproportionate harm tobacco use causes 
1.15 	in that community. The commissioner shall engage members of the African-American 
1.16 	community and community-based organizations in conducting the evaluation and creating 
1.17 	recommendations on how to address tobacco use within the African-American community.
1.18 	(b) The commissioner shall submit the results of the evaluation and the 
1.19 	recommendations to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house 
1.20 	of representatives health and human services policy and finance committees by January 
1.21 	15, 2016.

1.22 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.1 	$200,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2016 from the general fund to the 
2.2 	commissioner of health to conduct the community-based evaluation and recommendations. 
2.3 	This is a onetime appropriation.