HB620: HB620 State holidays; Blood Plasma Donation Awareness Day; designate

26 LC 64 0058S The House Committee on Special Rules offers the following substitute to HB 620: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia A nnotated, relating to1 holidays and observances, so as to designate Blood Plasma Donat ion Awareness Day in2 Georgia; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for re lated matters; to provide an3 effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5 SECTION 1.6 The General Assembly finds that:7 (1) The lives of millions of individuals are heavily reliant o n life-saving therapies8 derived from human blood plasma, emphasizing the need for a robust and inclusive blood9 plasma collection infrastructure;10 (2) The United States is home to a vast network of United Stat es Food and Drug11 Administration licensed blood plasma donation centers, which co llectively facilitated12 over 493 million plasma donations from 2007 to 2021, underscoring the critical role these13 centers play in supporting healthcare in this country;14 H. B. 620 (SUB) - 1 - 26 LC 64 0058S (3) Approximately 33 million liters of blood plasma are meticulously fractionated each15 year, yielding essential therapeutic plasma proteins vital for a wide range of medical16 treatments, including emergencies related to uncontrollable ble eding, autoimmune17 disorders, sickle cell disease, and various chronic conditions;18 (4) The demand for therapies derived from blood plasma has surged dramatically over19 the past two decades, driven by advancements in diagnosing rare diseases, elevated20 standards of patient care, and enhanced patient access to innovative treatments, further21 highlighting the need for increased representation in blood plasma collection efforts;22 (5) Plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs) are indispensable in managing urgent23 health crises tied to bleeding, autoimmune conditions, sickle c ell disease, and chronic24 health issues, and play crucial roles in treating patients with rare and life-threatening25 illnesses, such as primary immunodeficiencies and hemophilia;26 (6) Millions of donations are made annually at blood plasma co llection centers27 throughout the United States, revealing the essential contribution these local collection28 sites make within the healthcare framework of this country and state and the pressing29 need for more diverse representation in the industry;30 (7) The global blood plasma market has achieved remarkable financial growth, reaching31 approximately $30 billion in 2022, a significant increase from just over $5 billion32 in 2000, highlighting the enormous economic potential embedded within the plasma33 industry;34 (8) Sickle cell disease is a chronic, incurable genetic blood disease that35 disproportionately affects individuals of African descent, with approximately 100,00036 people in the United States and over 11,000 people in this state living with the condition;37 (9) Sickle cell disease is most prevalent among individuals of African descent, with38 approximately 90 percent of those affected identifying as such, emphasizing the39 significant impact of this disease on communities of color;40 H. B. 620 (SUB) - 2 - 26 LC 64 0058S (10) Therapeutic plasma exchange has been recognized as a potentially useful treatment41 in resolving complications of sickle cell disease, including ac ute chest syndrome and42 hepatic crisis, highlighting the critical need for accessible a nd inclusive blood plasma43 collection infrastructure;44 (11) Dr. Charles Richard Drew, an African American pioneering figure in modern blood45 banking and twentieth-century medicine, revolutionized blood pl asma donation and46 storage processes, fundamentally shaping the field as it is known today, and his legacy47 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of integration and representation in the48 medical field; and49 (12) Despite the significant contributions of individuals of African descent who comprise50 over 86 percent of blood plasma donations nation wide, there ar e currently no plasma51 collection centers owned by individuals from this demographic i n this state, a glaring52 disparity that underscores the need for awareness to promote a more representative blood53 plasma industry that reflects the communities it serves.54 SECTION 2.55 Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and56 observances, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:57 "1-4-28.58 February 17 of each year is designated as 'Blood Plasma Donatio n Awareness Day' in59 Georgia."60 SECTION 3.61 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026.62 SECTION 4.63 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.64 H. B. 620 (SUB) - 3 -