BILL REQ. #:  H-4498.1 

Read first time 01/24/08.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.

     AN ACT Relating to the joint select committee on sickle cell disease; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that sickle cell disease is a lifelong hereditary red blood cell disorder that predominantly affects African-Americans. The disease can cause a lifetime of severe medical complications that require painful and expensive treatment. The legislature further finds that Washington state screens newborn infants for sickle cell disease at birth but that this information is not adequately communicated between people who may not have the disease, but carry the genetic trait for it. While there is no cure for sickle cell disease, the legislature finds that the pain and suffering it causes may be controlled with better education, diagnosis, and treatment.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The joint select committee on sickle cell disease is created. The committee consists of two members of each caucus of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, and two members of each caucus of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. The committee shall review current practices for screening, diagnosis, treatment, and education about sickle cell disease in Washington state. The committee shall also review issues related to access to appropriate treatment, dissemination of information related to the disease and family risk, insurance coverage for treatment, and morbidity and mortality rates. The committee shall make recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2008.