Bill Text: CA SJR27 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Enrolled

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Are You Dense Day.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 46-18)

Status: (Passed) 2012-08-16 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 77, Statutes of 2012. [SJR27 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SJR27-Enrolled.html

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BILL NUMBER: SJR 27	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 13, 2012
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 6, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 6, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Simitian
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano,
Beall, Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo,
Conway, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Furutani,
Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Grove, Hagman, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger
Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight,
Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller,
Mitchell, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Olsen, Pan, Perea, John A.
Pérez, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Skinner, Swanson, Torres,
Valadao, Wieckowski, Williams, and Yamada)

                        MAY 22, 2012

   Relative to breast cancer.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 27, Simitian. Are You Dense Day.
   This measure would recognize August 8, 2012, as "Are You Dense?"
Day 2012, to raise awareness of the risks associated with breast
density and the potential benefits of other screening tools to
supplement mammography.



   WHEREAS, The National Cancer Institute estimates that one in eight
women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime and breast cancer
is the second leading cause of cancer death in women; and
   WHEREAS, 40 percent of women who get a mammogram have dense breast
tissue; and
   WHEREAS, Women who have dense breast tissue have a four to six
times greater risk of developing breast cancer compared to women of
the same age and health, and are twice as likely to develop breast
cancer compared to women of the same age and health who have a first
degree relative with breast cancer; and
   WHEREAS, Research has shown that, using mammography alone, up to
75 percent of cancer is missed in women who have dense breast tissue
and dense breast tissue is the most common reason a mammogram fails
to detect cancer; and
   WHEREAS, Although dense breast tissue is routinely observed,
characterized, and communicated between doctors as a part of a
mammogram examination, doctors speak to less than 9 percent of women
about breast density and 95 percent of women do not know their breast
density; and
   WHEREAS, Medical research has shown that the rate of breast cancer
detection in women with dense breast tissue increases substantially
when breast cancer screening methods, such as ultrasound or magnetic
resonance imaging, are used to supplement mammography; and
   WHEREAS, Patient knowledge of breast tissue density has the
potential to spare many women the tremendous physical and emotional
suffering and financial strain associated with the treatment of
advanced breast cancer and can reduce the cost of treating breast
cancer by facilitating a diagnosis earlier and allowing treatment to
begin when the cancers are smaller and more easily treatable; and
   WHEREAS, Breast density information should be shared with the
patient before the patient and doctor can begin informed discussions
regarding the most appropriate and effective breast cancer screening
approaches for each individual patient; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature recognizes August 8, 2012,
as "Are You Dense?" Day 2012, in order to raise awareness of the
risks associated with breast density and the potential benefits of
other screening tools to supplement mammography for women with dense
breast tissue; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature encourages all state legislatures
throughout the United States to recognize August 8, 2012, as "Are You
Dense?" Day 2012, thereby acknowledging the importance of breast
density information in the United States and the world; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.