Senate Bill 344 (Rubio): California Cancer Registry

Summary:

Senate Bill 344 (Rubio) will support cancer research and advance the quality of care for cancer patients by improving the effectiveness of the California Cancer Registry, the statewide cancer surveillance system.

Need for bill:

• The California Cancer Registry was established in 1985 and is the largest cancer registry in the nation and is recognized as one of the leading cancer registries in the world. 
• The CCR is an integrated surveillance program comprised of physicians and treatment facilities that collect and report cancer data, CCR staff who receive the data and ensure accuracy, and researchers who use CCR data to make new discoveries about cancer diagnosis, patterns, and treatment outcomes. 
• The cancer data collected by the CCR helps researchers understand the causes of cancers and how to prevent and treat cancers. 
• The CCR regularly publishes reports on the cancer burden and disparities among the diverse populations in California. 
• Since 2019, California requires pathologists to report cancer data electronically to the CCR. Direct electronic pathology (e-Path) reporting into cancer registries has helped improve the completeness, timeliness, quality, and impact of cancer registry data. However, changes are needed to update the CCR and make it more efficient.

What will SB 344 do?

Senate Bill 344 will improve the effectiveness of the California Cancer Registry by shortening delays in research and streamlining ePath reporting. SB 344 will also align California data sharing requirements with national data sharing standards to reduce the duplication and administrative burdens.

View SB 344 factsheet here.