SR195: SR195 Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; recognize March 2025

This resolution does not change any Georgia law. Instead, it formally designates March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and encourages eligible Georgians to consult their health care providers and begin regular colorectal cancer screenings. The resolution describes work by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Community Health Care Systems, Inc., a federally qualified health center in middle Georgia, to help uninsured and underinsured patients get follow-up colonoscopies after an abnormal screening test. It notes that colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in younger adults but has a 90 percent survival rate when caught early. The Senate directs its Secretary to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and the press.

• Formally recognizes March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in Georgia.
• Encourages eligible citizens to consult health care providers and begin regular colorectal cancer screenings.
• Expresses support for a project by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Community Health Care Systems, Inc. that helps uninsured and underinsured patients get free follow-up colonoscopies.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and the press.

The resolution mainly speaks to Georgia residents eligible for colorectal cancer screening, gastroenterologists and other health care professionals, and organizations such as Community Health Care Systems, Inc. and the Georgia CRC Roundtable that work on cancer screening access.

While the resolution creates no new legal requirements, it publicly highlights colorectal cancer screening as a health priority and calls attention to gaps in follow-up care for uninsured and underinsured Georgians, potentially encouraging more people to get screened.

• The resolving clause designates March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and urges eligible citizens to consult providers and begin screenings.
• A further resolution clause endorses the potential of ASGE's project to create a public policy model and toolkit for increasing follow-up colonoscopy rates nationwide.
• A final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available for public and press distribution.

1. 2025-02-18Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-13Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)Primary sponsor
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)

• colorectal cancer awareness
• cancer screening
• public health
• health care access