Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the State Cancer Legislative Database (SCLD)?

  The SCLD is a program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that has monitored and analyzed cancer-related state legislation since 1989. In 2005, the NCI began providing users with online access to the searchable database.

• Why was the SCLD developed?

  The SCLD was developed to help further one of the goals of the NCI: the support of research projects in cancer control. Using SCLD data, researchers may examine and compare cancer-related legislation within and across the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

• For whom was the SCLD designed?

  Researchers are the primary database users. SCLD data are also useful for policy-makers and other individuals seeking information about state laws addressing specific cancer control topics. The SCLD is a resource for Federal and state agencies, Congress, health departments, universities and research centers, professional organizations, and the public.

• What types of information does the SCLD provide?

  The SCLD contains information synthesized from enacted state-level laws and adopted resolutions addressing selected aspects of cancer control, genetics, health disparities, obesity prevention, and tobacco. Also included are a few relevant state ballot initiatives that have been used to affect relevant topic areas. SCLD records are based on program syntheses of relevant laws. These syntheses (or “abstracts”) do not contain the full text of the laws. Full text may be obtained from state sources and legal research services.

  Laws included in the SCLD are substantive laws and amendments. These include changes to the actions required or prohibited by the law, penalties, repeals of the law or portions of the law, and changes to a law’s expiration date.

  Because of the volume of enacted laws, minor amendments to laws are not reported. The data included in the SCLD have been deemed substantive pursuant to program protocols.

  Users have the option of viewing lists of data or detailed abstracts; they also may download information into PDF documents or Excel spreadsheets.

• What areas of cancer-related policy does the SCLD address?

  The SCLD contains records related to:

  • breast cancer
  • cancer (general)
  • cervical cancer
  • colorectal cancer
  • genetics
  • health disparities
  • obesity prevention
  • ovarian cancer
  • prostate cancer
  • skin cancer
  • access to state-of-the-art treatment
  • surveillance (cancer registries)
  • testicular cancer
  • tobacco control
  • uterine cancer

  Most laws summarized in the SCLD explicitly mention cancer. However, the SCLD also maintains limited information about legislation that more broadly addresses chronic or life-threatening conditions, without mentioning cancer. Such laws generally are found in the health-related treatment (general) and access to state-of-the-art treatment (general) topic areas.

• What kinds of information are not available in the SCLD?

  The SCLD does not contain:

  • Federal legislation or regulations
  • state bills that have been introduced but not enacted
  • state regulations
  • Executive orders
  • measures implemented by counties, cities, or other localities
  • decisions of Federal, State*, or local courts
  • opinions of Attorneys General
  • data addressing the implementation of state laws

  *One exception exists to the omission of state-level court decisions. In the area of Tobacco Use/Smoke-Free Air, a few state court decisions have affected the application of preemption in the state. In these instances, information regarding case law has been captured in the Notes section of the relevant Year-End Status record.

• What kinds of questions can be answered with SCLD data?

  Keyword or text-based searches of the database allow the user to answer questions such as:

  • Which states require insurers to provide reimbursement for screening mammography?
  • How many states have enacted laws addressing genetic discrimination by employers, and what is the extent of those provisions?
  • Over the past 5 years, which states have enacted legislation affecting tobacco excise tax rates?
  • What are the tobacco excise taxes in each state?
  • Are states that require insurance coverage for clinical trials in close proximity to one another?

• What is the difference between a general legislation record and a year-end status record?

  The SCLD comprises two related databases: General Legislation and Year-End Status.

  • General Legislation

    A general legislation record contains an abstract of either an enacted law or an adopted resolution.

  • Enacted Law

    Laws are considered “enacted” after passing in both the House and Senate (in states with bicameral legislatures) and being signed into law by the governor, or voted into law by an override vote of the governor’s veto.

    Topically related general legislation records from the same state are grouped together into a “stream” (i.e., connected by the same Reference number.

  • Adopted Resolution

    Resolutions generally state the position of the legislature on a particular issue and do not carry the force of law. They are considered “adopted” after passage by the chamber in which the resolution was introduced. In states with bicameral legislatures (i.e., a House and a Senate), “joint” resolutions are passed by both the House and Senate. The governor’s signature is not required.

  • Year-End Status

    A year-end status record contains an abstract of the relevant portion(s) of a state law, using as its source the codified version of a state’s law. It provides a “snapshot” of the law as of December 31st of the year of interest. Each year-end status record incorporates information from the associated general legislation records. Year-end statuses are not created for adopted resolutions, as those measures are not codified.

    Please note that not all legislation records have corresponding year-end statuses. No year-end status record is created in the following situations:

    • A state enacts more than one law on the same topic in the same year. In such cases, only one year-end status record is created for that year; however, it incorporates information from all related general legislation records.
    • A state enacts a law during one calendar year, but delays the effective date until the following (or subsequent) year. In this case, a year-end status record is created for the year in which the law takes effect.

  Note: for laws enacted on or after January 1, 2005, the year in which the law becomes effective can be found in the Effective Date field of each general legislation record. Prior to 2005, effective dates were included in the body of the general legislation record, and only if the date was explicitly mentioned in the bill or could be calculated from information provided in the bill (e.g., “This bill becomes effective 90 days after being enacted into law”).

• What years do the laws in the SCLD cover?

  SCLD coverage of legislation varies both by topic area and by database (i.e., General Legislation vs. Year-End Status).

  Comprehensiveness of coverage varies across topic areas and often is associated with a significant topical event. For example, in the General Legislation database, coverage of many secondary Tobacco Use keyword areas dates back to 1960, pre-dating by four years the landmark Report of the Surgeon General addressing the health risks of smoking. In the Year-End Status database, though, coverage is comprehensive from 1993. 1993, therefore, is the baseline year for most Tobacco Use topic areas.

  Coverage of other topic areas began more recently, as indicated below. While the databases contain laws enacted prior to the baseline year, coverage is deemed comprehensive from the dates listed in the table below.

  
  

  Keyword	Year-End Status Baseline
  Breast Cancer	1995
  Cancer (general)	2002
  Cervical Cancer	2002
  Colorectal Cancer	2002
  Genetics	1997
  Health Disparities	2006
  Health-Related Treatment	2003
  Obesity Prevention	2009
  Ovarian Cancer	2002
  Prostate Cancer	2002
  Skin Cancer	2002
  State-of-the-Art Treatment	2002
  State-of-the-Art Treatment (General)	2002
  Surveillance (Cancer Registries)	2002
  Testicular Cancer	2002
  Tobacco Use: Advertising, Excise Taxes, Health Education, Out-of-Package Sales, Product Samples, Sale/Purchase/Possession, School Health, Smoke-Free Air, Smokers' Rights, Vending Machines, Vendor Licensure, Youth Access	1993
  Tobacco Use: Delivery Sales, Shipping/Transport, Treatment Reimbursement	2000
  Uterine Cancer	2002

• Where can I find instructions for searching the SCLD?

  Search Help

• How often will the information available on the SCLD Web site be updated?

  Routine updating of the General Legislation database and Web site occurs quarterly, usually in February, May, August, and November. Year-end statuses are added annually for the previous calendar year, after SCLD Program staff complete analysis. Information of particular importance may be posted as it becomes available.

• How can I be alerted when information on the SCLD Web site is updated?

  Enter your e-mail address on the Subscribe page to sign up for automatic e-mail notification of updates to the Web site.

• What is the source of the legal materials contained on the SCLD Web site?

  The primary sources of SCLD legal materials are LexisNexis, State Net, and/or Westlaw, online commercial legal research services. Supplementary information comes from state Web sites and other published sources. Additional products on this site—including data tables, fact sheets, newsletters, and presentations—are developed by SCLD Program staff.

• How should I cite information from the SCLD Web site?

  Materials from the SCLD Web site should be cited as follows: Source: National Cancer Institute: State Cancer Legislative Database Program, Bethesda, MD 2010.

• How should I report a factual error or omission on the SCLD Web site?

  The SCLD Program is interested in receiving your feedback. Please use our Web Site Feedback Form to report problems or questions with this site.