---
title: HR 262. Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol; February 13, 2025; recognize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr262
cite_as: HR 262, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr262
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr262.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr262/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70358
date: 2025-02-13
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/hr261.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr263.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr262.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 262
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-13
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Kim Schofield
  - Sandra Scott
  - Chris Erwin
  - Derrick Jackson
  - Viola Davis
  - Rhonda Burnough
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR262/2025
upstream_id: 1970344
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - lupus awareness
  - public health
  - state capitol recognition
  - autoimmune disease
---

# HR 262. Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol; February 13, 2025; recognize

## Text

House Resolution 262
By: Representatives Schofield of the 63rd, Scott of the 76th, Erwin of the 32nd, Jackson of the
68th, Davis of the 87th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, Representative Kim Schofield and the Georgia
Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America will host Lupus Advocacy Day at the state
capitol; and
WHEREAS, lupus is an acute and chronic (lifelong) autoimmune disease in which the
immune system is unbalanced, causing inflammation and tissue damage to virtually every
organ system in the body; and
WHEREAS, lupus can affect any part of the body, including the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys,
and brain, and thus has the potential to cause seizures, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages,
and organ failure; and
WHEREAS, at least 1.5 million Americans, including approximately 55,000 Georgians, are
currently living with lupus; and
WHEREAS, lupus is a major health issue that has a significant impact on the economy of
this state and takes an immeasurable physical, financial, and emotional toll on many families
in Georgia; and
WHEREAS, the effects of lupus on a family can be devastating in that it is a chronic,
lifelong, and life-threatening disease, and despite its prevalence, it remains one of the least
recognizable and most misunderstood of all diseases, labeling lupus as the cruel mystery; and
WHEREAS, lupus affects primarily young women in their crucial childbearing years, but it
can also affect men, children, and women of all ages; and
WHEREAS, Lupus Nephritis, a form of kidney disease, is a serious, life-threatening
complication of lupus. The need for screening in lupus for Lupus Nephritis is crucial for
early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Georgia Medicaid has the opportunity to play a
meaningful role in addressing the problem of insufficient screening by emphasizing its
importance to patients and healthcare providers. By doing so, Georgia Medicaid can help
improve patient outcomes and make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by lupus
and Lupus Nephritis; and
WHEREAS, the Lupus Foundation of America is the nation's leading nonprofit voluntary
health organization dedicated to finding the causes and a cure for lupus while providing
support and services to all people affected by lupus; and
WHEREAS, 90 percent of every dollar raised by the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus
Foundation of America stays in Georgia to support the chapter's programs; and
WHEREAS, the Lupus Foundation of America provides resources for thousands of patients
and families, including support and information, physician referrals, public and professional
education, and grassroots advocacy on the state and federal level; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, Governor Nathan Deal established the Georgia Council on Lupus
Education and Advocacy to investigate the level of education and awareness of lupus across
the state; and
WHEREAS, the council has developed a state-wide action plan and established a
multidisciplinary collaborative that will launch lupus initiatives to increase knowledge,
educate healthcare providers, consumers, and legislators, and address early diagnosis, access
to care, and health disparities in lupus.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body commend the work of the Lupus Foundation of America and other
organizations devoted to finding a cure for lupus and supporting the individuals and families
whose lives are affected by this autoimmune disease and recognize February 13, 2025, as
Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the
Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America.

## 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 recognizes February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol, honoring the Lupus Foundation of America and Georgians affected by lupus.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives designates February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol, coinciding with an advocacy event hosted by Representative Kim Schofield and the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. The bill lists facts about lupus, an autoimmune disease affecting an estimated 55,000 Georgians, and describes its health and economic impact on families in the state.
The resolution commends the Lupus Foundation of America and other organizations working on lupus research and support, and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. It does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose any new requirements.

### What it does

- Formally designates February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the Georgia state capitol.
- Commends the Lupus Foundation of America and other groups working on lupus research and patient support.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America.
- Makes no changes to Georgia statutes, creates no funding, and imposes no legal requirements on any agency or person.

### Who it affects

The resolution primarily recognizes the Lupus Foundation of America's Georgia Chapter, lupus patients and their families, and Representative Kim Schofield, who is hosting the advocacy event. It has no binding effect on state agencies, healthcare providers, or the public.

### Why it matters

While the resolution carries no legal force, it gives official recognition to lupus awareness efforts at the capitol, which advocates can use to draw attention to the disease's impact on roughly 55,000 Georgians and to encourage continued education and screening efforts.

### Key provisions

- The resolution's preamble describes lupus as a chronic autoimmune disease affecting about 55,000 Georgians and 1.5 million Americans.
- It references the Georgia Council on Lupus Education and Advocacy, established by Governor Nathan Deal in 2014, and its statewide action plan.
- The resolved clause recognizes February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol and commends lupus advocacy organizations.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-13)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-13)
- Sponsors: Kim Schofield, Sandra Scott, Chris Erwin, Derrick Jackson, Viola Davis, Rhonda Burnough
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70358

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr262.md?full=1