---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-49-1. Legislative findings.
collection: code
id: 31-49-1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-49-1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-49-1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-49-1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-49-1/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=1076
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-49.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-48-1.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-49-1.1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / GEORGIA COUNCIL ON LUPUS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
extraction_warnings:
  - dehyphenation_unverified:auto-immune
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-49-1. Legislative findings.

The General Assembly finds and declares that it is estimated that as many as 55,000 Georgia residents suffer from lupus, a life-long autoimmune disease in which the immune system becomes unbalanced, causing inflammation, tissue damage, seizures, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages, and organ failure. Although anyone can develop lupus, it strikes mostly women of childbearing age; African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women are two to three times more likely than Caucasians to develop lupus. Lupus can be difficult to diagnose and often is misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses. It is in the public interest for this state to establish an entity to develop and implement a comprehensive program to improve education and awareness about lupus for health care providers and the general public.

## History

Code 1981, § 31-49-1, enacted by Ga. L. 2014, p. 397, § 2/SB 352.