2022 Delaware Legislative Priorities

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Delaware residents touched by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2022 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the Delaware General Assembly on legislative and regulatory efforts that address disruption in cancer care and screenings; provide affordable, adequate access to healthcare insurance including Medicaid; as well as appropriations for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention policies that help people that use tobacco products quit and deter kids from ever using tobacco products. We will be making the following evidence-based policies a priority and ask for your support:

Paid Family and Medical Leave

•  ACS CAN will advocate for the creation of a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program. This program will allow for Delaware employees to access up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave through the State’s paid leave trust fund for a qualifying event, including for the following: 1) to address a worker’s own serious health condition, 2) to care for a family member with a serious health condition, 3) bond with a new child, 4) to handle safety matters for victims of domestic abuse, or 5) to address the impact of a family member’s military deployment.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to maintain level funding of $550,000 for Delaware’s Screening for Life program, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Delaware Department of Health.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Premium Cigar Tax Reduction: ACS CAN will work to defeat a proposal to reduce the excise tax on some types of cigars from 30% to 15%. Delaware should be looking at ways to save lives and health care costs from tobacco use by helping adults quit and keeping youth from starting instead of considering reducing taxes on any tobacco products, including cigars.
• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding:  ACS CAN will work to support the Delaware Health Fund’s recommendations for a $1.9 million increase to funding for evidence-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs which currently is funded at $7.1 million. This funding increase to $9 million would bring Delaware’s funding for tobacco control programs to over 60% of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended guidelines.

For more information, contact: Jocelyn Collins, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, DC Government Relations Director, ACS CAN 

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-254-0072 (cell)
ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, please visit www.fightcancer.org.