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HJ78 • 2026

Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month.

Designating September, in 2026 and in each succeeding year, as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in Virginia.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Cousins
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
Passed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill text does not include provisions encouraging Virginians or recognizing specific health systems' contributions.

Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month

This law makes September Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in Virginia every year starting from 2026.

What This Bill Does

  • Designates September as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month each year beginning in 2026.

Terms To Know

Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month
A month designated to raise awareness about pulmonary fibrosis and support research.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not provide funding for awareness or research activities.
  • It is unclear how the designation will be promoted and observed by Virginians.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ78ER)

  2. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Read third time

  3. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Agreed to by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  4. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Rules suspended

  5. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by temporarily

  6. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  7. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Reading waived Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  8. 2026-02-27 Rules

    Reported from Rules (Voice Vote)

  9. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  10. 2026-02-12 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  11. 2026-02-11 House

    Taken up

  12. 2026-02-11 House

    Engrossed by House

  13. 2026-02-11 House

    Agreed to by House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-02-06 Rules

    Reported from Rules (16-Y 0-N)

  15. 2026-02-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)

  16. 2026-01-30 Studies Subcommittee

    Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

  17. 2026-01-22 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26104736D

  18. 2026-01-22 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month.
Designates September, in 2026 and in each succeeding year, as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in Virginia.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Designating September, in 2026 and in each succeeding year, as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in Virginia.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 11, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, March 3, 2026
WHEREAS, pulmonary fibrosis is a deadly lung-scarring disease with no true cure and limited treatment options, which only slow progression; while lung transplantation can mitigate the disease for certain patients, the procedure is only available to a small number of individuals and may result in additional complications; and
WHEREAS, nearly 50,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis every year; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System has made significant contributions in the field of pulmonary fibrosis over the past two decades and was recently designated as a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center; and
WHEREAS, other Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Centers in the Commonwealth include Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church and the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation established the month of September as national Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month to help unify the pulmonary fibrosis community and increase public awareness and research on behalf of this deadly disease; and
WHEREAS, Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month provides an occasion for all Virginians to learn more about the disease, support research into treatments and a cure, and engage in healthy lifestyles; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate September, in 2026 and in each succeeding year, as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in Virginia; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation so that members of the organization may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it
RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this month on the General Assembly's website.