South Carolina S 544: Kidney Disease Awareness Day

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 544 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 03, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 544

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A senate RESOLUTION

TO ENCOURAGE EACH INDIVIDUAL IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO 
BECOME BETTER INFORMED ABOUT AND AWARE OF KIDNEY DISEASE AND APOL1-MEDIATED 
KIDNEY DISEASE, TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM OR WITH ANCESTRY FROM WESTERN AND 
CENTRAL AFRICA TO CONSIDER GENETIC TESTING FOR APOL1 GENE MUTATIONS, AND TO 
DECLARE TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025, AS "APOL1-MEDIATED KIDNEY DISEASE AWARENESS 
DAY" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 

Whereas, kidney disease 
affects an estimated thirty-seven million Americans, and more than five-hundred-fifty 
thousand are on dialysis. African Americans with kidney disease are more 
likely to develop kidney failure than any other racial or ethnic group; and

Whereas, the health 
disparities in kidney failure are unsustainable, with Black people making up 
thirteen percent of the United States population but accounting for thirty-five 
percent of those with kidney failure. Kidney failure places enormous physical, 
emotional, and financial burdens on individuals and costs the Medicare program 
over fifty billion dollars annually; and

Whereas, there are 
genetic factors that can increase an individual's risk for kidney disease. One 
such genetic factor is having variants, that is mutations, in the 
apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene. People are more likely to have APOL1 gene 
variants if they are from Western or Central Africa or have an ancestor who 
came from these regions; and

Whereas, 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 they will go on to develop kidney disease, and an 
estimated thirteen percent of African Americans have variants in both copies of 
the APOL1 gene; and

Whereas, a person with 
AMKD may not have any symptoms of kidney disease until their kidneys are close 
to failing, but genetic testing can reveal the risk individuals may have for 
AMKD, empowering them to take the steps necessary to protect their kidney health 
before it is too late; and

Whereas, individuals 
who are found to have APOL1 genetic variants can reduce their risk for kidney 
failure by meeting with their doctor regularly, eating a healthy diet, taking 
all medications as prescribed, exercising for at least thirty minutes a day, and 
not smoking or using tobacco; and

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

Whereas, there are 
currently no FDA-approved treatments available for APOL1-mediated kidney 
disease, but clinical trials could provide an opportunity for researchers to 
develop and test safe treatments for APOL1-mediated kidney disease. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, encourage each 
individual in South Carolina to become better informed about and aware of 
kidney disease and APOL1-mediated kidney disease, encourage people from or with 
ancestry from Western and Central Africa to consider genetic testing for APOL1 
gene mutations, and declare Tuesday, April 29, 2025, as "APOL1-Mediated Kidney 
Disease Awareness Day" in the State of South Carolina.

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This web page was last updated on April 03, 2025 at 11:59 AM