--- title: HR 230. Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; March 2025; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr230 cite_as: HR 230, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr230 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr230.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr230/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70215 date: 2025-02-11 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr229.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr231.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr230.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 230 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-11 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sharon Cooper - Tim Fleming - Matt Reeves - Lee Hawkins - Deborah Silcox text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR230/2025 upstream_id: 1965796 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - colorectal cancer - cancer screening - public health awareness - health care access --- # HR 230. Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; March 2025; recognize ## Text House Resolution 230 By: Representatives Cooper of the 45th, Fleming of the 114th, Reeves of the 99th, Hawkins of the 27th, and Silcox of the 53rd A RESOLUTION Recognizing March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) dedicates time and resources to promote colorectal cancer (CRC) awareness; and WHEREAS, ASGE represents more than 16,000 gastroenterologists and allied health care professionals around the world who are dedicated to advancing patient care and digestive health through education and advocacy and promoting excellence in gastrointestinal endoscopy; and WHEREAS, the number of uninsured or underinsured patients in the United States who have a positive (abnormal) CRC screening test result who get a timely follow-up colonoscopy is just 50 to 70 percent; and WHEREAS, the low follow-up colonoscopy rate can be attributed to a diverse and complex mix of barriers or obstacles related to the health care system, policy, and one's socioeconomic status and community; and WHEREAS, CRC is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women under 50 in the United States; and WHEREAS, CRC has a 90 percent survival rate when detected early enough; and WHEREAS, ASGE recommends that people who have not had colorectal cancer or polyps or who do not have any high-risk factors for CRC should begin getting screened for CRC at the age of 45; and WHEREAS, ASGE is working with Community Health Care Systems, Inc., which is a federally qualified health center that cares for patients in middle Georgia, on a project that is designed to increase the follow-up colonoscopy rate for uninsured and underinsured people who have a positive or abnormal stool-based CRC screening test; and WHEREAS, Community Health Care Systems is identifying and assisting hundreds of uninsured and underinsured patients to get screened for CRC using a stool-based DNA test and to get a follow-up colonoscopy if it's necessary at no cost to the patients; and WHEREAS, ASGE and Community Health Care Systems will support these patients with professional navigators from Horizons Community Solutions who will guide them through the full continuum of care at no cost to the patients; and WHEREAS, ASGE and Community Health Care Systems are collaborating on this project with physicians and allied health care professionals; patient navigators; legislators and regulators; state and local advocacy organizations such as the Georgia CRC Roundtable, Georgia CORE, and Fight CRC!; and community leaders; and WHEREAS, gastroenterologists perform colonoscopies to prevent or detect CRC by removing colon polyps; and WHEREAS, a follow-up colonoscopy is required after a positive non-colonoscopic screening test result to derive the benefits of screening; and WHEREAS, there are several other recommended options for CRC screening; and WHEREAS, offering patients screening options can help increase patient adherence to screening. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and encourage eligible citizens to consult their health care providers and begin regular screenings. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASGE's project has the potential to lead to the development of a public policy model and a toolkit that can be used to increase the follow-up colonoscopy rate for underserved people across the United States and has the potential to save countless lives. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution recognizes March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and encourages Georgians to talk to their doctors about screening for the disease. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any law. It formally designates March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in Georgia and encourages eligible residents 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 stool-based screening tests and free follow-up colonoscopies when needed. It notes that colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and the second leading cause in women under 50 in the United States, and that early detection gives a 90 percent survival rate. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies to the public and press. ### What it does - 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. - States support for a project by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Community Health Care Systems to increase follow-up colonoscopy rates among uninsured and underinsured patients. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. ### Who it affects The resolution mainly speaks to Georgia residents eligible for colorectal cancer screening, especially those uninsured or underinsured. It also references gastroenterologists, Community Health Care Systems, Inc. in middle Georgia, and advocacy groups like the Georgia CRC Roundtable, Georgia CORE, and Fight CRC! ### Why it matters While the resolution carries no legal requirements or funding, it raises public attention to colorectal cancer screening, which the resolution says has a 90 percent survival rate when caught early. It highlights an existing program offering free follow-up colonoscopies to uninsured and underinsured Georgians. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause recognizes March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and encourages residents to consult providers and get screened. - A further resolution acknowledges the potential for ASGE's project to create a public policy model and toolkit to boost follow-up colonoscopy rates nationally. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make copies available to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-11) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-11) - Sponsors: Sharon Cooper, Tim Fleming, Matt Reeves, Lee Hawkins, Deborah Silcox - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70215 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr230.md?full=1