Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB620 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 57 0244
2	2	House Bill 620
3	3	By: Representatives Kahaian of the 81
4	4	st
5	5	, Clark of the 100
6	6	th
7	7	, Campbell of the 171
8	8	st
9	9	, Martinez
10	10	of the 111
11	11	th
12	12	, Reeves of the 99
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
18	18	1
19	19	holidays and observances, so as to designate Blood Plasma Donation Awareness Day in2
20	20	Georgia; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to provide an3
21	21	effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4
22	22	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5
23	23	SECTION 1.6
24	24	The General Assembly finds that:7
25	25	(1) The lives of millions of individuals are heavily reliant on life-saving therapies8
26	26	derived from human blood plasma, emphasizing the need for a robust and inclusive blood9
27	27	plasma collection infrastructure;10
28	28	(2) The United States is home to a vast network of United States Food and Drug11
29	29	Administration licensed blood plasma donation centers, which collectively facilitated12
30	30	over 493 million plasma donations from 2007 to 2001, underscoring the critical role these13
31	31	centers play in supporting healthcare in this country;14
32	32	(3) Approximately 33 million liters of blood plasma are meticulously fractionated each15
33	33	year, yielding essential therapeutic plasma proteins vital for a wide range of medical16
34	34	H. B. 620
35	35	- 1 - 25 LC 57 0244
36	36	treatments, including emergencies related to uncontrollable bleeding, autoimmune
37	37	17
38	38	disorders, sickle cell disease, and various chronic conditions;18
39	39	(4) The demand for therapies derived from blood plasma has surged dramatically over19
40	40	the past two decades, driven by advancements in diagnosing rare diseases, elevated20
41	41	standards of patient care, and enhanced patient access to innovative treatments, further21
42	42	highlighting the need for increased representation in blood plasma collection efforts;22
43	43	(5) Plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs) are indispensable in managing urgent23
44	44	health crises tied to bleeding, autoimmune conditions, sickle cell disease, and chronic24
45	45	health issues, and play crucial roles in treating patients with rare and life-threatening25
46	46	illnesses, such as primary immunodeficiencies and hemophilia;26
47	47	(6) Millions of donations are made annually at blood plasma collection centers27
48	48	throughout the United States, revealing the essential contribution these local collection28
49	49	sites make within the healthcare framework of this country and state and the pressing29
50	50	need for more diverse representation in the industry;30
51	51	(7) The global blood plasma market has achieved remarkable financial growth, reaching31
52	52	approximately $30 billion in 2022, a significant increase from just over $5 billion in32
53	53	2000, highlighting the enormous economic potential embedded within the plasma33
54	54	industry;34
55	55	(8) Sickle cell disease is a chronic, incurable genetic blood disease that35
56	56	disproportionately affects individuals of African descent, with approximately 100,00036
57	57	people in the United States and over 11,000 people in this state living with the condition;37
58	58	(9) Sickle cell disease is most prevalent among individuals of African descent, with38
59	59	approximately 90 percent of those affected identifying as such, emphasizing the39
60	60	significant impact of this disease on communities of color;40
61	61	(10) Therapeutic plasma exchange has been recognized as a potentially useful treatment41
62	62	in resolving complications of sickle cell disease, including acute chest syndrome and42
63	63	H. B. 620
64	64	- 2 - 25 LC 57 0244
65	65	hepatic crisis, highlighting the critical need for accessible and inclusive blood plasma
66	66	43
67	67	collection infrastructure;44
68	68	(11) Dr. Charles Richard Drew, an African American pioneering figure in modern blood45
69	69	banking and twentieth-century medicine, revolutionized blood plasma donation and46
70	70	storage processes, fundamentally shaping the field as it is known today, and his legacy47
71	71	serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of integration and representation in the48
72	72	medical field; and49
73	73	(12) Despite the significant contributions of individuals of African descent who comprise50
74	74	over 86 percent of blood plasma donations nation wide, there are currently no plasma51
75	75	collection centers owned by individuals from this demographic in this state, a glaring52
76	76	disparity that underscores the need for awareness to promote a more representative blood53
77	77	plasma industry that reflects the communities it serves.54
78	78	SECTION 2.55
79	79	Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and56
80	80	observances, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:57
81	81	"1-4-27.
82	82	58
83	83	February 17 of each year is designated as 'Blood Plasma Donation Awareness Day' in59
84	84	Georgia."60
85	85	SECTION 3.61
86	86	This Act shall become effective July 1, 2025.62
87	87	SECTION 4.63
88	88	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.64
89	89	H. B. 620
90	90	- 3 -