Bill Text: CA SJR27 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Chaptered
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-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: SJR 27 CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 77 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 16, 2012 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.