Hawaii Passes Breast Density Legislation

Starting on January 1, all mammography providers in Hawaii must inform women with dense breast tissue about their breast density status at the time they deliver mammography results. Hawaii’s governor, Neil Abercrombie, has signed the state bill H.B. 373 into law on April 4 after it had passed both the State House and Senate unanimously. The bill text closely follows the provisions of the last proposed Federal breast density notification act. This bill, H.R. 3102: The Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act of 2011, died in committee when it was not voted on by the end of the 112th session of Congress. However, advocates for mandating informing women about their breast density status are seeking to get similar legislation introduced in this session of Congress.