--- title: SR 146. Lupus Advocacy Day; recognize February 13, 2025 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr146 cite_as: SR 146, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr146 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr146.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr146/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70082 date: 2025-02-11 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/sr145.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr147.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr146.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 146 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-11 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Gail Davenport - Donzella James - David Lucas - Michael Rhett - Nabilah Islam Parkes - Jason Esteves - Freddie Sims - Kenya Wicks - Ed Harbison - Tonya Anderson - Kim Jackson - Sonya Halpern - Sally Harrell - Harold Jones text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR146/2025 upstream_id: 1964572 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - lupus awareness - autoimmune disease - Georgia Medicaid - public health resolution - state capitol recognition --- # SR 146. Lupus Advocacy Day; recognize February 13, 2025 ## Text Senate Resolution 146 By: Senators Davenport of the 17th, James of the 28th, Lucas of the 26th, Rhett of the 33rd, Islam Parkes of the 7th 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, Senator Gail Davenport 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 SENATE 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 Secretary of the Senate 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 Senate resolution recognizes February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the Georgia state capitol, honoring the Lupus Foundation of America's Georgia chapter and its advocacy work. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any Georgia law. Instead, it formally recognizes February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the state capitol, timed to an event hosted by Senator Gail Davenport and the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. The resolution describes lupus as a chronic autoimmune disease affecting roughly 55,000 Georgians, and notes the state's 2014 creation of the Georgia Council on Lupus Education and Advocacy. The Senate commends the Lupus Foundation of America and related organizations for their work supporting people with lupus, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. ### What it does - Designates February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day at the Georgia state capitol. - Formally commends the Lupus Foundation of America and other organizations for their work on lupus research and support. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. - Creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change to Georgia law. ### Who it affects The resolution mainly touches the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America and the roughly 55,000 Georgians living with lupus, along with their families. It also references the Georgia Council on Lupus Education and Advocacy and Georgia Medicaid's role in screening for lupus-related kidney disease. ### Why it matters While the resolution carries no legal force, it publicly highlights lupus as a health issue affecting tens of thousands of Georgians and draws attention to gaps in screening for lupus nephritis, a serious kidney complication, potentially raising awareness among patients, providers, and lawmakers. ### Key provisions - The preamble describes lupus as a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain. - The preamble states that Georgia Medicaid could play a role in improving screening for Lupus Nephritis, a kidney complication of lupus. - The preamble notes that 90 percent of funds raised by the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America stay in Georgia. - The resolving clause designates February 13, 2025, as Lupus Advocacy Day and commends organizations working on lupus. - The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-11) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-02-11) - Sponsors: Gail Davenport, Donzella James, David Lucas, Michael Rhett, Nabilah Islam Parkes, Jason Esteves, Freddie Sims, Kenya Wicks, Ed Harbison, Tonya Anderson, Kim Jackson, Sonya Halpern, Sally Harrell, Harold Jones - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70082 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr146.md?full=1