---
title: HR 1716. Myositis Awareness Month; May 2026; recognize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1716
cite_as: HR 1716, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1716
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1716.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1716/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74132
date: 2026-03-16
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1715.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1717.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 134
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1716.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1716
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-16
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Scott Hilton
  - Carmen Rice
  - Bethany Ballard
  - Devan Seabaugh
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1716/2025
upstream_id: 2134475
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - myositis awareness
  - rare diseases
  - public health
  - legislative resolution
---

# HR 1716. Myositis Awareness Month; May 2026; recognize

## Text

House Resolution 1716
By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Rice of the 139th, Ballard of the 147th, and Seabaugh
of the 34th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, residents of Georgia are among those affected by myositis and other rare
diseases—nearly one in ten Americans have a rare disease; and
WHEREAS, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, collectively referred to as myositis, are
rare, chronic autoimmune muscle-wasting diseases that often feature debilitating muscle
inflammation, pain, fatigue, and difficulty swallowing and can result in myositis-associated
interstitial lung disease; and
WHEREAS, more research is needed to identify the causes of and treatments for myositis,
which includes anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive myositis, antisynthetase syndrome,
dermatomyositis, juvenile dermatomyositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy,
inclusion body myositis, and polymyositis; and
WHEREAS, myositis is difficult to diagnose, often leading to delayed treatment, and
individuals with the disease frequently struggle to find healthcare providers with expertise
in their condition; and
WHEREAS, all who suffer from myositis experience a reduced quality of life, and no cure
has been found; life expectancy is often shortened, particularly for those with inclusion body
myositis, and women and people of color with all forms of myositis experience pronounced
health disparities; and
WHEREAS, The Myositis Association is the leading international patient advocacy
organization serving the myositis community, focusing on patient services, education,
research, and public awareness in the pursuit of a world without myositis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution designates May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month, recognizing residents affected by this rare autoimmune muscle disease.

### Plain-language summary

This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It recognizes May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month in Georgia, drawing attention to myositis, a group of rare, chronic autoimmune diseases that cause muscle inflammation, pain, fatigue, and sometimes lung disease.
The resolution describes myositis as hard to diagnose and treat, noting that patients often struggle to find knowledgeable healthcare providers and that women and people of color face worse health outcomes from the disease. It also credits The Myositis Association for its work on patient support, education, and research. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies to the public and press, but it creates no new programs, funding, or legal requirements.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month in the state of Georgia.
- States legislative findings describing myositis as a group of rare autoimmune muscle diseases with no known cure.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.
- Creates no funding, agency requirement, or change to Georgia law; it is a symbolic statement only.

### Who it affects

Georgians living with myositis and other rare diseases, along with patient advocacy groups like The Myositis Association, are the focus of this resolution. It does not impose duties on state agencies, businesses, or the general public.

### Why it matters

The resolution itself changes no laws or funding, but it publicly acknowledges the challenges faced by Georgians with myositis, including delayed diagnosis and difficulty finding specialized care, which can raise public awareness of the disease.

### Key provisions

- The resolution's whereas clauses describe myositis as a group of rare autoimmune diseases including dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis, and polymyositis.
- The resolving clause formally recognizes May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month in Georgia.
- A further resolution directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies for distribution to the public and press.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-16)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-16)
- Sponsors: Scott Hilton, Carmen Rice, Bethany Ballard, Devan Seabaugh
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74132

> The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1716.md?full=1