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SB 516

Relating to a program of state inspection by the State Department of Agriculture; declaring an emergency.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Owens and 1 co-sponsor

NC designates UNC Collaboratory as lead for cancer cluster investigations, centralizing surveillance, protocols, and public reporting.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · SB 516

SB 516 — Improve Cancer Cluster Investigations in North Carolina

Status: Introduced Apr 3, 2023; enacted as Chapter 769 (approved by Governor Oct 13, 2025) (per legislative action record)

Purpose

SB 516 designates the University of North Carolina’s North Carolina Collaboratory as the State’s lead agency for cancer cluster inquiries and investigations. The bill seeks to strengthen cancer surveillance, standardize investigation protocols, centralize coordination, and improve public communication and science-based response to suspected cancer clusters.

Key provisions

  • Designates the North Carolina Collaboratory (UNC–Chapel Hill) as the lead State agency for cancer cluster investigations and coordination with State partners (DHHS Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Department of Environmental Quality, Central Cancer Registry).
  • Clarifies confidentiality: existing confidentiality rules for clinical records apply to the Collaboratory when fulfilling its duties (amendment to G.S. 130A-212).
  • States that Central Cancer Registry data remain the sole property of the State (G.S. 130A-212.5).
  • Requires the Collaboratory to maintain a public webpage for cancer cluster investigations that lists a single point of contact (the designated cancer epidemiologist).
  • Requires the Collaboratory to employ/retain a cancer epidemiologist with expertise in cancer epidemiology and cluster investigations. Duties include:
    • Serving as the single designated point of contact for State-level cancer cluster activities;
    • Leading and coordinating inquiries/investigations with State agencies and local health departments;
    • Conducting routine cancer surveillance and proactive statewide monitoring of cancer incidence patterns; and
    • Leading development, review, and updates to a statewide cancer cluster protocol and producing reports.
  • Requires development/periodic update of an enhanced statewide cancer cluster protocol aligned with current CDC guidance. Protocol must include: best practices for surveillance/inquiry/investigation, State and local infrastructure needs, innovative statistical and analytic methods, and internal/external communication plans.
  • Establishes a Cancer Cluster Advisory Committee (13 members) to advise the Collaboratory and epidemiologist. Appointment structure:
    • Two cancer epidemiologists (appointed by Senate Pro Tempore and House Speaker)
    • Two environmental health scientists (appointed by the same legislative leaders)
    • One rural local health director (Governor)
    • One urban local health director (Governor)
    • One statistician (Governor)
    • Two public members (Governor)
    • The Collaboratory cancer epidemiologist, Director (or designee) of the Central Cancer Registry, Director (or designee) of the Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch, and Secretary (or designee) of DEQ
    • Members serve three-year terms (max two consecutive terms); UNC–Chapel Hill provides administrative support; the Collaboratory Executive Director selects the committee chair.
  • Advisory Committee must meet at least quarterly with the cancer epidemiologist.
  • Authorizes appropriation(s) to establish positions to assist the Collaboratory with its cancer cluster responsibilities (bill text references appropriations though specific dollar amounts are not included in the excerpt).

Who is affected

  • North Carolina Collaboratory (UNC–Chapel Hill) — primary implementing entity
  • Department of Health and Human Services (including Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Branch)
  • Department of Environmental Quality
  • Central Cancer Registry
  • Local health departments and public health officials
  • Communities and members of the public in areas subject to cancer cluster inquiries
  • Researchers and healthcare providers (data sharing and confidentiality provisions)

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Bill introduced in 2023 (filed Apr 3, 2023). Legislative history provided shows committee referrals, committee meetings, and enactment activity culminating in approval by the Governor and chaptering as Chapter 769 (Statutes of 2025).
  • Implementation will require the Collaboratory to hire/retain a cancer epidemiologist, stand up the advisory committee, develop the statewide protocol, and establish the public-facing webpage and reporting processes. Administrative support and member per diem/travel are provided for in the statute.

Potential impacts

  • Centralizes and clarifies responsibility for cancer cluster investigations, which may improve responsiveness, methodological consistency, and public communication.
  • Strengthens surveillance capacity and routine monitoring of spatial/temporal cancer patterns.
  • Preserves State ownership of cancer registry data and maintains confidentiality protections for patient records.
  • Implementation will require staffing and resources (positions and operational costs) paid from appropriations; specifics depend on final budget allocations.

If you want, I can:
- Extract the exact statutory text references and placement (G.S. sections);
- Draft a one‑page explainer for community stakeholders or for local health departments describing what to expect operationally; or
- Produce a checklist of steps the Collaboratory and local health departments will need to implement to comply with the law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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