HB334: HB334 Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act; enact

This bill makes two separate changes to Georgia law. First, it amends the state's early care and learning code (O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-18) so that every child care learning center and family child care learning home must give parents or guardians educational information about respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and prevention recommendations by September 1 each year, based on guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics. Second, it adds a new section to Georgia's public assistance law (O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159.5) requiring the Department of Community Health to review, every year, all the medications, treatments, and services covered under Medicaid for people diagnosed with sickle cell disease, to see if coverage is adequate or should be expanded. The department must gather public input, especially from people or groups experienced with sickle cell disease treatment, and must send a report on its findings to legislative leaders and post it publicly by January 15 each year.

• Requires child care learning centers and family child care learning homes to give parents RSV educational information and prevention guidance by September 1 each year.
• Creates a new Medicaid review requirement directing the Department of Community Health to annually assess whether sickle cell disease treatments and medications covered are adequate.
• Requires the department to seek public input during the review, with emphasis on people or groups experienced in sickle cell disease treatment.
• Requires the department to submit an annual report on its findings and recommendations to legislative leaders by January 15 and publish it on its website.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with these new requirements.

Parents and guardians of children enrolled in Georgia child care learning centers and family child care learning homes, the centers and homes themselves, Medicaid recipients diagnosed with sickle cell disease, the Department of Community Health, and members of the public who may wish to weigh in on Medicaid coverage decisions.

Parents would get standardized yearly information on RSV, a common respiratory illness affecting young children. Medicaid patients with sickle cell disease would have their treatment coverage formally reviewed each year, with public input, potentially leading to expanded coverage of medications or services if gaps are found.

• Section 1 adds subsection (a.1) to O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-18, requiring RSV educational materials be given to parents by September 1 annually, based on professional medical guidance.
• Section 2 creates O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159.5(a), requiring the Department of Community Health to annually review Medicaid-covered medications, treatments, and services for sickle cell disease patients.
• Section 2(b) requires the department to solicit public input during the review, emphasizing input from people or groups with sickle cell disease treatment expertise.
• Section 2(c) requires an annual report to the presiding officers of the House and Senate and relevant committee chairs by January 15, and requires the report be published on the department's public website.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-05Act 401
3. 2026-05-05House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-04-02Senate Taken from Table (Senate)

• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)Primary sponsor
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)
• Inga Willis (D, HD-055)
• Anne Westbrook (D, HD-163)
• Edna Jackson (D, HD-165)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   159 yea, 7 nay (2 not voting, 9 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #669

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

3. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #933

4. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   149 yea, 18 nay (6 not voting, 3 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #867

• sickle cell disease
• Medicaid coverage
• child care regulations
• RSV prevention
• public health reporting