HB392 • 2026

Sickle cell disease education and screening program; cancer risk.

An Act to amend and reenact § 32.1-68 of the Code of Virginia, relating to sickle cell disease education and screening program; cancer risk.

Education Healthcare

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Askew
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the content of the educational resources beyond mentioning certain types of kidney cancer.

Sickle Cell Disease Education Program

This act requires health care providers who screen for sickle cell disease or the trait to be educated on increased cancer risks among affected individuals.

What This Bill Does

Changes a law about screening and treatment programs for sickle cell disease.
Requires education for healthcare providers on cancers that are more common in people with sickle cell disease or the trait.

Who It Names or Affects

Health care providers who screen individuals for sickle cell disease or the trait.

Terms To Know

Sickle Cell Trait: A condition where a person carries one gene for sickle cell anemia and one normal hemoglobin gene, but does not have full-blown sickle cell disease.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the education will be funded or who will provide it.
It is unclear what additional regulations might be adopted by the Board for implementing a clinic network.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 600 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-13 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 600 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-13 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0600)
2026-03-10 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-10 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-05 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-05 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-05 House
Enrolled
2026-03-05 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB392ER)
2026-03-05 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB392)
2026-03-02 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-02 Senate
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-27 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-26 Education and Health
Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-24 Health
Assigned Education sub: Health
2026-02-18 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-18 Education and Health
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
2026-02-17 House
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 House
Read second time
2026-02-16 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-15 House
Read first time
2026-02-13 Appropriations
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
2026-02-13 Health & Human Resources
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
2026-02-12 Health & Human Resources
Assigned HAPP sub: Health & Human Resources
2026-02-12 Health and Human Services
Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)
2026-02-12 Health and Human Services
Committee substitute printed 26106556D-H1
2026-02-12 Health and Human Services
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB392)
2026-02-10 Health
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)
2026-02-10 Health
House subcommittee offered
2026-02-05 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB392)
2026-01-16 Health
Assigned sub: Health
2026-01-12 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104087D
2026-01-12 Health and Human Services
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Sickle cell disease education and screening program; cancer risk.
Requires the sickle cell screening and treatment program to include the offering of educational resources to health care providers on the increased risks for certain cancers among individuals with sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend and reenact §
32.1-68
of the Code of Virginia, relating to sickle cell disease education and screening program; cancer risk.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
32.1-68
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
32.1-68
. Commissioner to establish screening and treatment program; review by Board; program to include education and post-screening counseling; laboratory tests.
A. The Commissioner, in cooperation with local health directors, shall establish a voluntary program for the screening of adults and children for the disease of sickle cell anemia or the sickle cell trait and for such other genetically related diseases and genetic traits and inborn errors of metabolism as the Board may deem necessary.
B. The Board shall review the program from time to time to determine the appropriate age and the method of screening for such conditions or traits in the light of technological changes.
C. The screening program shall include provisions for education concerning the nature and treatment of sickle cell anemia, other genetically related diseases and inborn errors of metabolism and a post-screening counseling program for the treatment of any person determined to have such a condition.
Such education shall also address cancers known to be more common in individuals with sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait, including certain types of kidney cancer.
D. The program may include the provision of laboratory testing.
E. The program shall offer educational resources to health care providers who screen individuals for sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait about the increased risks for certain cancers among individuals with those conditions. The resources shall be culturally and linguistically appropriate and shall include information for providers, affected individuals, and their families regarding (i) cancers known to be more common in individuals with sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait, including certain types of kidney cancer; (ii) signs, symptoms, and surveillance for such cancers; (iii) how to access referral resources for treatment for such cancers; and (iv) the importance of individuals and their families communicating concerns about such cancers to providers. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the program or a health care provider from offering more frequent or additional education on sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait.
E.
F.
The Board shall adopt regulations to implement an adult and pediatric comprehensive sickle cell clinic network.