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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 Sort descending Summary
Minnesota Privacy Died

Establishes requirements with regard to collection, sale of, and access to personal information by businesses. Personal information is defined to include genetic information. Died.

New Hampshire Privacy Died

Provides that an individual has an expectation of privacy in personal information, including DNA/RNA and other identifying information unique to the individual. Died.

New York Research Died

This bill regulates the use of human subjects for medical research and experimentation, including subjects with mental disorders and children. Measure failed.

New York Privacy Died

Establishes the It's Your Data Act for the purposes of providing protections and transparency in the collection, use, retention, and sharing of personal information. Biometric information, which is defined to include DNA, is considered protected information. Died.

Texas Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Creates the Healthy Texas Program. The board for the program must create policies that promote nondiscrimination with respect to members and providers with regard to genetic information. Died.

Wisconsin Employment Nondiscrimination Died

Permits the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) or a person who has been discriminated against or subjected to unfair honesty or genetic testing to bring an action in circuit court to recover compensatory and punitive damages caused by the act of discrimination or unfair honesty or genetic testing after the completion of all administrative proceedings before DWD and the Labor and Industry Review Commission concerning the violation. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.

Arizona Health Insurance Coverage Died

This bill requires hospital or medical service corporations, health care service organizations, and individual, group and blanket disability insurers who provide health care coverage to pregnant women to cover the cost of genetic testing for thrombophilia if it is ordered by a physician. Measure failed.

Florida Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill amends Florida's health_insurance_nondiscrimination law. The bill removes the exemption for life, disability and long-term care insurance under existing law and states that the law applies to other lines of insurance. Died.

Iowa Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Establishes the Healthy Iowa program. Residents of the state are entitled to enroll. Discrimination is prohibited with respect to members and providers based on genetic information. Died.

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.

Massachusetts Privacy Died

Prohibits an agency, executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division or authority of the commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof, or any agent, contractor or subcontractor thereof, from acquiring, possessing, accessing or using any biometric surveillance system or any information derived from a biometric surveillance system operated by another entity. Allows certain exceptions such as the use of facial recognition technology by the registrar or motor vehicles. Biometric data is defined to include deoxyribonucleic acid. 11/30/2020 Reported out of Senate Conference Committee. See S2963 for report. Died.

Missouri Privacy Died

This bill requires a state agency or education institution to obtain written consent from parents or eligible students before collecting any certain data points, including a biometric record (defined to include DNA). Died.

New Jersey Privacy Died

Exempts certain health information, including genetic information, contained in 9-1-1 calls from definition of government record. Died.

New York Other Topics Died

A Transportation Network Company (TNC) may not discriminate against passengers or potential passengers on the basis of a genetic predisposition. TNC drivers must comply with the anti-discrimination law. Died.

Rhode Island Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires nonprofit hospital service contract, plan, or insurance policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state must provide coverage of all blood testing services, including specified genetic tests. Died.

Minnesota Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill modifies the definition of genetic test under the Genetic Insurance Discrimination Act and adds a new section restricting the use of genetic information in individual and group life, disability income and long-term care insurance. For underwriting and ratemaking purposes, these insurers may not request or require a genetic test, use genetic test results other than those in the medical record or use genetic test results in the medical record without claims experience, substantial data or actuarial justification. Measure failed.

Missouri Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Proposes a Constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, to provide that prohibits health plans from limiting or excluding benefits relating to any condition based on the fact that the condition is a preexisting condition or charging a different premium rate or imposing different out-of-pocket costs for the same coverage based on the fact that a person covered under the plan has a preexisting condition. Genetic information should not be treated as a preexisting condition in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to such information. 4/13/2021 Reported Do Pass House Rules Committee. Died.

New Mexico Employment Nondiscrimination, Privacy Died

Enacts the Uniform Protection of Genetic Information in Employment Act. The bill also amends the Genetic Information privacy Act. Died in Consumer and Public Affairs Committee.

New York Other Topics Died

Establishes an eleven member genetics advisory council. Died.

South Dakota Privacy Died

This bill establishes certain rights of parents regarding the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health care of their children and provides certain penalties for the violation of those rights. Rights set forth include the right to consent in writing before any record of a minor child's blood or deoxyribonucleic acid is created, stored, or shared. Died.

Washington Privacy Died

Enacts measures to safeguard the privacy, confidentiality, security, and integrity of a consumer's genetic data resulting from direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Died.

Connecticut Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires individual and group health insurers to provide coverage for breast cancer chemoprevention counseling, risk assessment, genetic testing and counseling for any woman who is at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history, prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing or other indications as determined by a health care provider. Died.

Illinois Privacy Died

This bill was introduced as an amendment to the Genetic Information privacy Act. All language was stricken in a senate amendment and new language was added related to firearms.

Maryland Privacy Died

Sets forth requirements for governmental units, including an executive, legislative or judicial agency, a department, a board, a commission, an authority, a public institution of higher education, or a unit or instrument of the state that collects or discloses personal information. Defines personal information to include an individual's genetic print. Died.

Massachusetts Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires health_insurance_coverage of screening breast ultrasounds and breast MRI, in addition to mammograms, if the patient is at increased risk of cancer based on certain factors such as positive genetic testing. 4/30/2018 In Senate. Accompanied a study order, see S2496.

Mississippi Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Genetic information may not be excluded as a preexisting condition in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to the genetic information. Measure failed.

New Jersey Privacy Died

This bill sets forth requirements for government collection of biometric identifiers, including DNA. No governmental entity shall obtain a biometric identifier of an individual without authorization of the individual, with some exceptions such as law enforcement. Died.

New York Privacy Died

Establishes the office of data protection and privacy for intelligence data centers to protect the privacy of personal information and biometric identifiers, including DNA. Died.

North Carolina Employment Nondiscrimination Died

Amends genetic nondiscrimination in employment statute. Deletes existing provision related to genetic information and adds protected classes or protected categories, which is defined to include predisposing genetic characteristics. Died.

Vermont Privacy Died

This bill creates personal property rights to genetic information. The bill also prohibits disclosure of genetic information without informed written consent. Measure failed.

Wisconsin Privacy Died

Sets forth requirements regarding the deletion of consumer personal data, including genetic data, by controllers. 4/1/2020 Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.

California Other Topics Died

This bill prohibits the denial of a workers' compensation claim solely because the motivation behind what caused the employee's injury or injury resulting in death was related to an immutable characteristic of the employee. The bill also states that physicians assigning apportionment to the causes of permanent disability by finding what approximate percentage of the disability is a direct result of the employment-related injury versus other factors may not consider genetic predisposition a cause or other factor of disability. Measure failed.

Florida Other Topics, Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Prohibits life insurers, long-term care insurers, and disability income insurers from certain actions relating to genetic information or genetic testing of applicants. Prohibits these insurers from taking certain actions relating to coverage or rates unless certain conditions are met. Requires entities providing direct-to-consumer genetic testing to obtain prior written authorization to disclose identifying health information to life or health insurers. Died.

Kentucky Privacy Died

Creates a parent's right to consent in writing before any record of the minor child�s blood or deoxyribonucleic acid is created, stored, or shared, unless authorized pursuant to a court order or an ongoing criminal investigation. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Died

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

Georgia Privacy Died

Except as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, specified information, including DNA, may not be collected, entered into any student data base, or maintained as education records by a state agency, local board of education, or school. Died.

Maine Privacy Died

Prohibits the collection, entry into an education database or maintenance of DNA by as education records by the department of education or school administrative unit. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Died

Prohibits a hospital or related institution from discriminating in admitting or providing care for an individual based on various factors, including genetic information. Died.

Maryland Privacy Died

Amends statute requiring a business that maintains personal information of an individual residing in the State to implement and maintain certain security procedures and practices. The bill adds the following to the definition of personal information: genetic information with respect to an individual, including the genetic sample of an individual; the genetic test of an individual; the genetic test of an individual's family member; the manifestation of a disease or disorder in a family member of an individual; any request for and receipt of genetic counseling, or genetic education; and any information derived from genetic information with respect to an individual. In the Senate - Hearing 2/10 at 1:00 p.m. Died.

Minnesota Use of Residual Newborn Screening Specimens Died

The original version of this bill amended the newborn screening law pertaining to storage of blood samples. All language was subsequently deleted pertaining to the newborn screening program.

Montana Other Topics Died

Requires lobbyists to complete harassment prevention training. Harassment is defined to include unwelcome verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual on the basis of genetic information. Died.

New York Health Insurance Coverage Died

This bill requires accident and health insurance policies to cover the cost of genetic testing of persons with a family history of cancer when the attending physician determines such person has a significant risk of cancer. Measure failed.

New York Privacy Died

Requires biometric identifies and information to be treated in a manner similar to confidential and sensitive information such as a genetic marker or genetic testing information. Died.

Texas Privacy Died

This bill gives an individual property rights to his or her DNA sample. A person may not collect a DNA sample, perform a genetic test or retain a DNA sample, with few exceptions such as for law enforcement purposes. Measure failed.

West Virginia Privacy Died

Establishes a parental bill of rights. Requirements include parental consent in writing before any record of a minor child's blood or DNA is made, shared, or stored, unless such blood or DNA is otherwise required by law or court order. Died.

Alabama Privacy Died

This bill creates the Genetic Information privacy Act. The bill establishes procedures for obtaining, disclosing and storing genetic information as well as penalties for unlawful disclosure. Measure failed.

Delaware Privacy Died

Restricts the use of a child's personally identifiable information, including DNA and other genetic material, by the operator of an internet service. Substitute bill passed by House and Senate, but substitute bill does not include language regarding DNA and genetic information. Substituted bill was signed by the Governor.

Illinois Health Insurance Coverage Died

Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Provides that all persons have a right to request an annual breast cancer screening mammogram under the age of 40 if such person has a family history of breast cancer or genetic testing has confirmed likelihood that such person has otherwise tested positive for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Died.

Maryland Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

For a stop-loss insurance policy or contract issues to a small employer, a medical stop-loss insurer may not increase cost-sharing or decrease coverage for a specific individual within the plan or exclude any employee or dependent base on an actual or expected health-status related factor, including genetic information. Died.

Massachusetts Privacy Died

Establish protections for the privacy of personal information pertaining to consumers, including biometric information such as DNA. 2/13/2020 In Senate. Accompanied a study order see S2534. Died.

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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