HB 336: Education; local school systems to provide certain information to parents and guardians of students in grades six through twelve on sickle cell disease; require

Currently, Georgia law does not require schools to share information about sickle cell disease with parents. This bill adds a new section to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-771.3) saying that whenever a local school board sends parents or guardians of students in grades six through 12 information on immunizations, infectious diseases, medications, or other school health topics, it must also include specific information about sickle cell disease. That information must cover what sickle cell 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 develop a treatment plan with a doctor after a diagnosis. The Georgia Department of Education, working with the Department of Public Health, would create this material and post it on its public website so school systems can access it easily.

• Adds a new Code section requiring local school boards to include sickle cell disease information whenever they send parents other health notices for grades six through 12.
• Specifies five required content points: a description of the disease, its risk factors and warning signs, a referral recommendation, screening process details, and a treatment planning recommendation.
• Directs the Department of Education, working with the Department of Public Health, to create this material and make it publicly available.
• Requires the information to be posted on the Department of Education's public website for school systems to use.

Parents and guardians of students in grades six through 12 in Georgia public schools, local school systems and boards of education that distribute student health information, and the Department of Education and Department of Public Health, which must jointly develop and publish the material.

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 consult a doctor about screening or treatment.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 20-2-771.3, triggering the sickle cell disease information requirement only when a school already sends other health information to parents of grades six through 12.
• Subsection (a) lists five specific pieces of information that must be included: description, risk factors and warning signs, referral recommendation for screening, screening process description, and treatment planning recommendation.
• Subsection (b) requires the Department of Education and Department of Public Health to jointly develop the informational content and post it on the Department of Education'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
• school health policy
• student health information
• parental notification
• Georgia public schools