Genome Statute and Legislation Database

Requires certain insurers to provide coverage for screening breast ultrasound or screening breast magnetic resonance imaging examination if the patient has additional risk factors for breast cancer including, but not limited to, family history and positive genetic testing. Carries over to 2022.

Amends the definition of personal information for the purpose of applying modern security breach of personal information law. Personal information is defined as an identifier in combination with one or more specified data elements. Specified data elements include a deoxyribonucleic profile. Carries over to 2022 session.

Requires the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy to establish a pharmacogenomics task force to evaluate and assess the current availability of pharmacogenomics statewide and to develop recommendations for making
pharmacogenomics available statewide. Carries over to 2022 session.

Regulates the use of human subjects for medical research and experimentation, including subjects with mental disorders and children. Addresses exclusion or inclusion of subjects to participate in human research based on race, ethnicity or sex. Requires reporting certain information relating to the collection of data. Provides that no greater than minimal risk non-therapeutic human research may be conducted on a child without consent of a parent or guardian. Carries over to 2022.

Promotes fair housing by preventing discrimination against affordable housing based on various factors, including genetic information. Carries over to 2022.

Prohibits any unit government from directly or indirectly: (1) excluding or partially excluding from participation, disadvantaging, harming, denying one or more benefits to, or otherwise subjecting a person to discrimination based on or because of one or more of the person�s protected characteristics; or (2) adopting, implementing or without limitation otherwise approving or utilizing any program, policy or practice that has a discriminatory effect. Protected characteristics includes genetic information. Carries over 2022.

Requires health insurers to provide coverage for expenses incurred in obtaining a colonoscopy when a subscriber has a high-risk predisposition to colon cancer based on genetic or family history. Carries over to 2022.

Prohibits any unit government from directly or indirectly: (1) excluding or partially excluding from participation, disadvantaging, harming, denying one or more benefits to, or otherwise subjecting a person to discrimination based on or because of one or more of the person�s protected characteristics; or (2) adopting, implementing or without limitation otherwise approving or utilizing any program, policy or practice that has a discriminatory effect. Carries over to 2022.

Requires every group policy of accident and health or sickness insurance and every individual or group hospital or medical service plan contract to provide coverage for screening to determine whether counseling and testing related to the BRCAl or BRCA2 genetic mutation is indicated and genetic counseling and testing related to the BRCAl or BRCA2 genetic mutation, if indicated. Carries over to 2022 session.

Requires health insurance policies to cover comprehensive screening for ovarian cancer, including genetic testing. Carries over to 2022.

Establishes privacy protections for the collection, use, retention and disclosure of biometric information by businesses in the state of Massachusetts. Biometric information is defined to include a DNA sequence. Carries over to 2022.

Requires an osteopathic physician and, physician, physician's assistant and advanced registered nurse practitioner to refer a person who is 18 years of age or younger to a children's specialty health care facility that can provide specialized diagnostic services, including genetic testing, unless the person is currently receiving care in such a facility, if the person has experienced any neurological or physical symptoms, including but not limited to seizures or missing developmental milestones. Requires a health carrier must provide coverage for genetic testing including up to a full genome panel as determined by the ordering practitioner to identify potential causes of seizures, neurological symptoms, or other physical symptoms as determined by the health care provider in persons who are 18 years of age or younger. Carries over to 2022.

Establishes protections relative to the processing of personal data and the free movement of personal data. Prohibits the processing of genetic data or biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person with certain exceptions. Carries over to 2022.

Declares that it is an unlawful discriminatory practice for a hiring party to subject a model to harassment based on various characteristics, including predisposing genetic characteristics. Carries over to 2022.

Requires an employer that employs 50 or more individuals at any time during the calendar year at a single work site in the state to inform employees of, and keep posted at the work site in a conspicuous place where employees may conveniently read it, a notice that includes specified information. Required notification includes a statement that it is illegal under federal law to pay employees different wages for the same work based solely on various characteristics, including genetic information. Carries over to 2022.

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies required to provide disclosure notices and obtain consent.

Employers may not seek to obtain, use or require a genetic test or genetic information to distinguish between or discriminate against persons applicants or employees. Criminal and civil penalties are set forth for violations.

An insurer (except a life insurance company) may not obtain genetic screening or testing results without a separate written consent from an individual, but these entities are not liable for inadvertent receipt of results without consent.

An insurer that offers health benefit plan coverage in the small group, large group, or association market may not establish rules for eligibility based on health status-related factors, including genetic information. Health insurers offering individual health benefit plan coverage may not impose a pre-existing conditions exclusion based on genetic information in the absence of a diagnosis.

Under the Small Employer Health Insurance Availability Act, health status-related factor is defined to include genetic information and pre-existing condition is defined to exclude genetic information in the absence of a diagnosis.

Pre-existing conditions and health status-related factors are defined to include genetic information with respect to multiple-employer welfare arrangements and the health insurance portability and accountability act.

An insurance institution, agent or insurance support organization that collects, uses or discloses medical record information must have written policies, standards and procedures for the management, transfer and security of medical record information, including additional protection against unauthorized disclosure of sensitive health information such as information regarding genetic testing and the fact that an individual has undergone a genetic test.

A health maintenance organization, company, insurance broker, medical service corporation, non-profit hospital service corporation or preferred provider organization may not cancel, refuse to issue or renew, or make any distinction or discrimination in the amount of payment of premium or rates charged, in the length of coverage or in any of the terms and conditions based on genetic information. These entities may not require genetic tests or private genetic information.

The law sets forth procedures for State employment appeals of grievances and disciplinary actions related to discrimination claims, including discrimination based on genetic information.

Creates the Genetic Information privacy Act. Requires a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company to do the following: (1) provide clear and complete information regarding the company�s policies and procedures for the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of genetic data; and (2) obtain a consumer�s express consent for collection, use, and disclosure of the consumer�s genetic data including, at a minimum, separate and express consent for each circumstance specified. Genetic data is defined as any data, regardless of its format, that results from the analysis of a biological sample from a consumer, or from another element enabling equivalent information to be obtained, and concerns genetic material. Genetic material includes, but is not limited to, deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA), ribonucleic acids (RNA), genes, chromosomes, alleles, genomes, alterations or modifications to DNA or RNA, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), uninterpreted data that results from the analysis of the biological sample, and any information extrapolated, derived, or inferred therefrom. Genetic data does not include deidentified data or data or a biological sample that is collected, used, maintained, and disclosed exclusively for scientific research conducted by an investigator with an institution that holds an assurance with the United States Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to Part 46 (commencing with Section 46.101) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations for the protection of human subjects in research.