NHGRI logo

Genome Statute and Legislation Database

The Genome Statute and Legislation Database is comprised of state statutes and bills introduced during the 2002-2024 U.S. state legislative sessions.

Overview

The Genome Statute and Legislation Database is reviewed and updated monthly. Searchable topics in the database include employment and insurance discrimination, health insurance coverage, privacy, research, the use of residual newborn screening specimens and other topics of interest.

Definitions of terms such as "bill", "statute", and "regulation" are available through the Glossary of Statutory, Legislative, and Regulatory Terms.

For other helpful links and legislative databases, please see Additional Resources.

Search

State Primary Link Topic(s) Bill Status Summary
Kentucky Health Insurance Coverage Enacted

Requires health benefit plans to cover any genetic test for cancer risk recommended by a physician, physician's assistant, genetic counselor or nurse if the recommendation is consistent with genetic testing guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Signed by the Governor on May 19, 2019. Effective January 1, 2020.

Louisiana Health Insurance Coverage Enacted

Requires health plans to cover the cost of the genetic testing of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes to detect an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer when recommended by a healthcare provider in accordance with the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Signed by the Governor June 5, 2019. Effective January 1, 2020.

Maine Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Enacted

This bill amends current health_insurance_nondiscrimination law by deleting provisions pertaining to pre-existing condition exclusions, including those pertaining to genetic information. The amendments prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions entirely to ensure that consumer protections provided under the Affordable Care Act are codified in state law. 3/19/2019 Signed by the Governor.

Maine Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Enacted

Prohibits insurers from requesting, requiring, purchasing or using information obtained from a direct-to-consumer genetic test without consent of the individual tested. Types of insurance covered under the law would include life, credit life, disability, long-term care, accidental injury, specified disease, hospital indemnity or credit accident insurance or an annuity. June 5, 2019 Signed by the Governor. Effective 90 days after adjournment on 6/19/19.

Maine Privacy Enacted

Protects the personal information, including genetic information, pertaining to state employees. Signed by the Governor on June 20, 2019.

Maryland Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Establishes the Healthy Maryland Program. Requires the Board to establish requirements and standards to consistent with state nondiscrimination laws, including those pertaining to genetic information. Participating providers may not refuse to provide health care services on the basis of genetic information. 3/28/2019 Unfavorable Report by Health and Government Operations. Withdrawn.

Maryland Privacy Died

A business that owns or licenses computerized data that includes personal information such as genetic information of an individual must conduct a reasonable and prompt investigation upon the breach of the security of a system. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Died

Amends the state law pertaining to direct and indirect advertisement of or solicitation of business for medical laboratory tests. Died.

Maryland Employment Nondiscrimination Died

Requires managers and supervisors in the Legislative and Executive branches of State government to immediately report certain incidents of workplace bullying, including bullying based on genetic information. 3/5/2019 Unfavorable Report by House Rules and Executive Nominations; Withdrawn.

Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Enacted

The provision in the original version of the bill pertaining to the use of genetic information by carriers was amended. The enacted legislation establishes a workgroup on maintaining the protections established by the Affordable Care Act. May 13, 2019 Approved by the Governor - Chapter 418. Effective June 1, 2019.

Maryland Privacy Died

Amends the definition of personal information used in the state data privacy act. Personally identifiable information is defined to include an individual's DNA. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Died

A hospital or related institution may not discriminate in admitting or providing personal care based on genetic information. Died.

Maryland Privacy Died

Enacts the Online Consumer Protection Act. Defines biometric information to include an individual's DNA. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Enacted

A person who directly or indirectly advertises or solicits business for diagnostic laboratory tests or procedures is a covered entity under HIPAA and must make certain disclosures. The law does not apply to germline genetic or genomic testing for the analysis, diagnosis or prediction of human disease. May 13, 2019 Approved by the Governor - Chapter 413. Effective October 1, 2019.

Maryland Employment Nondiscrimination Died

Requires managers and supervisors in the Legislative and Executive branches of State government to immediately report certain incidents of workplace bullying, including bullying based on genetic information. 3/11/2019 Unfavorable Report by Finance; Withdrawn.

Maryland Privacy Died

Enacts the Online Consumer Protection Act. Defines biometric information to include an individual's DNA. Died.

Maryland Privacy Died

A business that owns or licenses computerized data that includes personal information such as genetic information of an individual must conduct a reasonable and prompt investigation upon the breach of the security of a system. April 3, 2019 Unfavorable Report by Finance.

Maryland Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Enacted

The provision in the original version of the bill pertaining to the use of genetic information by carriers was amended. The enacted legislation establishes a workgroup on maintaining the protections established by the Affordable Care Act. May 13, 2019 Approved by the Governor - Chapter 417. Effective October 1, 2019.

Maryland Privacy Died

Establishes the Healthy Maryland Program. Requires the Board to establish requirements and standards to consistent with state nondiscrimination laws, including those pertaining to genetic information. Participating providers may not refuse to provide health care services on the basis of genetic information. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Died

A hospital or related institution may not discriminate in admitting or providing personal care based on genetic information. Died.

Massachusetts Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires insurance coverage for mammograms and breast cancer screening if the patient has additional risk factors for breast cancer such as family history and positive genetic testing. Died.

Massachusetts Other Topics Died

Prohibits local or state administrative, legislative or regulatory body or instrumentality to from engaging in a discriminatory land use practice, including practices based on genetic information. Accompanied a study order, see H5081. Died.

Massachusetts Other Topics Died

Pertains to municipal master plans. Master plans developed should take into account to the extent feasible ways in which future policies and programs can advance equity based on various factors such as genetic information. Died.

Massachusetts Privacy Died

Amends data security protections to include biometric information, which is defined to include genetic information. 10/26/2020 Accompanied a study order, see H5043. Died.

Massachusetts Employment Nondiscrimination Enacted

Establishes that it is House policy and practice to assign, promote and compensate employees on the basis of qualifications, merit, and competence. Prohibits employment practices that are influenced or affected by virtue of an applicant's or employee's genetic information. 1/30/2019 Order adopted and published as amended.

Displaying 501 - 525 of 1160

Additional Resources

Cornell Legal Information Institute
This website allows users to search for Federal and state laws and regulations. NHGRI’s Genome Statute and Legislation Database does not include regulations.

LawSeqSM Database
Developed at the University of Minnesota and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, this database allows users to search federal and state statutes, regulations, and reported judicial decisions. The database allows searches by jurisdiction (federal, state, and individuals states), source type, topic, and open text. This resource was developed by a project funded by NHGRI and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on “LawSeqSM: Building a Sound Legal Foundation for Translating Genomics into Clinical Application” (grant #: R01HG008605; Susan M. Wolf,. Ellen Wright Clayton, and Frances Lawrenz, principal investigators). The team keeps this database up to date.

National Society of Genetic Counselors
To find information about state genetic counselor licensing laws, visit the National Society of Genetic Counselors’ website. NHGRI’s Genome Statute and Legislation Database does not include state laws related to genetic counseling. 

Last updated: February 8, 2024