Senate Bill 516 Summary

• Designates the North Carolina Collaboratory at UNC Chapel Hill as the lead agency for coordinating all state-level cancer cluster investigations across the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Environmental Quality.

• Requires the Collaboratory to employ a cancer epidemiologist to serve as the single point of contact for cancer cluster activities and oversee cancer surveillance, investigation protocols, and report development.

• Establishes a 13-member Cancer Cluster Advisory Committee comprised of cancer epidemiologists, environmental health scientists, local health directors, statisticians, public members, and relevant state officials to meet quarterly and advise on investigation protocols and statewide activities.

• Appropriates $358,327 in recurring annual funds for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to create four new positions: one cancer epidemiologist, one public health educator, and two certified tumor registrars dedicated to cancer cluster investigations and physician practice outreach.

• Requires the Collaboratory to maintain an internet webpage dedicated to cancer cluster investigations and establish an enhanced statewide protocol based on CDC guidelines, with the first Advisory Committee meeting no later than April 1, 2024.