South Carolina H 5416: Farewell to Rep. Ott

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5416 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 25, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5416

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

TO DECLARE MARCH 2026 AS "KIDNEY AWARENESS MONTH" IN 
SOUTH CAROLINA AND TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2026, AS "APOL1-MEDIATED KIDNEY DISEASE 
AWARENESS DAY" AND TO ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS OF THE PALMETTO STATE TO BECOME 
BETTER INFORMED ABOUT APOL1-MEDIATED KIDNEY DISEASE AND THOSE WITH WESTERN OR 
CENTRAL AFRICAN ANCESTRY TO CONSIDER GENETIC TESTING.

Whereas, in South 
Carolina today, there are 14,372 people who have been diagnosed with kidney 
failure. Most are unaware that they have it. For every three adults in the 
United States, one is at risk for kidney disease, and the risk can be even 
higher for people of color. Further, those with high blood pressure, diabetes, 
heart disease, obesity, or a family history of kidney disease may have a kidney 
disorder. If left unchecked, kidney disease can lead to kidney failure. 
However, early detection can help with successful treatment of kidney disease; 
and

Whereas, there are 
4,105 South Carolina residents living with a kidney transplant, 10,267 on 
dialysis, and more than 1,531 on the kidney transplant waiting list. Further, 
607 kidney transplants were performed in South Carolina in 2024; and

Whereas, the American 
Kidney Fund (AKF) believes everyone should have an equal chance at a healthy 
life, regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, and the organization is 
committed to putting kidney disease and its risk factors front and center within 
the context of health disparities and the needs of all kidney patients; and

Whereas, AKF is 
revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney 
disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and 
dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and 
transplantation. To help accomplish its goals, AKF is calling on all Americans 
to research whether or not they are part of the 33% at risk for kidney disease; 
and

Whereas, Black people 
with kidney disease are more likely to develop kidney failure than any other 
racial/ethnic group. The health disparities in kidney failure are 
unsustainable, with Black people making up 13% of the U.S. population but 
accounting for 35% of those with kidney failure; and

Whereas, additional 
awareness and research of APOL1 genetic mutations are needed to improve 
understanding of kidney disease disparities; and

Whereas, kidney failure 
places enormous physical, emotional, and financial burdens on individuals and 
costs the Medicare program over $50 billion annually; and

Whereas, certain 
genetic factors can increase an individual's risk for kidney disease. One such 
genetic factor is variants (mutations) in the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene. 
Individuals from Western or Central Africa or who have an ancestor from these 
regions are more likely to have APOL1 gene variants. These variants can 
increase susceptibility for APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD), a rapidly 
progressive form of kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure; and

Whereas, it is 
estimated that if a patient has variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene, 
there is a one-in-five chance that such a patient will develop kidney disease 
and that 13% of Black Americans have variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene. 
Moreover, a person with AMKD may have no symptoms of kidney disease until the 
kidneys are close to failure, but genetic testing can reveal risk for AMKD, 
empowering individuals to take the necessary steps to protect kidney health 
before it is too late; and

Whereas, individuals 
with APOL1 genetic variants can reduce their risk of kidney failure by meeting 
with their doctors regularly, eating a healthy diet, taking all medications as 
prescribed, exercising for at least thirty minutes per day, and not smoking or 
otherwise using tobacco. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, declare March 2026 as "Kidney Awareness Month" in South 
Carolina and Tuesday, April 28, 2026, as "APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease 
Awareness Day" and encourage all citizens of the Palmetto State to become 
better informed about APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease and those with Western and 
Central African ancestry to consider genetic testing.

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This web page was last updated on March 25, 2026 at 11:44 AM