HB336: HB336 Education; local school systems to provide certain information to parents and guardians of students in grades six through twelve on sickle cell disease; require

Georgia law currently does not require schools to share information specifically about sickle cell disease with families. This bill adds a new section to the part of Georgia law dealing with student health (O.C.G.A. Title 20, Chapter 2, Article 16, Part 3). Under the bill, if a local school board already sends parents or guardians of students in grades six through twelve information on immunizations, infectious diseases, medications, or other school health issues, it must also include specific information about sickle cell disease. That information must cover what the disease is, its risk factors and warning signs, a recommendation to see a primary care provider if warning signs appear, how screening works, and a recommendation to consult a provider about treatment after a diagnosis. The Department of Education, working with the Department of Public Health, must create this information and make it available to schools, including by posting it on its website.

• Requires local school systems to include sickle cell disease information whenever they send parents of grades 6-12 students other health notices.
• Specifies five required pieces of information schools must share, including risk factors, warning signs, screening, and treatment guidance.
• Directs the Department of Education and Department of Public Health to jointly develop and distribute this information to school systems.
• Requires the Department of Education to post the sickle cell disease information on its public website.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new requirement.

Parents and guardians of students in grades six through twelve in Georgia's local school systems, local boards of education that distribute health information, and the Department of Education and Department of Public Health, which must jointly create and publish the required materials.

Families would receive standardized information about sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder, alongside other routine school health notices, potentially helping parents recognize warning signs earlier and know when to seek screening or treatment for their children.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 20-2-771.3, triggering the sickle cell disease information requirement only when a school already shares other health information with parents of grades 6-12 students.
• Subsection (a) lists five required content items: a description of the disease, risk factors and warning signs, a recommendation to consult a primary care provider for screening, a description of screening processes, and a recommendation to consult a provider on treatment after diagnosis.
• Subsection (b) requires the Department of Education, working with the Department of Public Health, to develop the information and distribute it to school systems, including by posting it on the department's public website.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-11House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-10House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-06House Hopper (House)

• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)Primary sponsor
• Karen Bennett (D, HD-094)
• Karlton Howard (D, HD-129)
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)
• Inga Willis (D, HD-055)
• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)

• sickle cell disease
• student health
• school health notices
• public education
• Department of Public Health