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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
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.

Arizona Privacy Died

Amends the state genetic privacy law. Declares genetic testing and the information derived from it, whether in the possession of a public or private entity, to be the exclusive private property of the person tested. Died.

Florida Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Creates Healthy Florida Program for purpose of comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage. The Board of the program must establish requirements and standards to promote nondiscrimination, including based on genetic information. Died.

Kentucky Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Makes technical changes to state statutes that prohibit the use of pre-existing condition exclusions based on genetic information. Clarifies that the prohibition applies to all insurers that offer any health benefit plan coverage. 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. 3/11/2019 Unfavorable Report by Finance; Withdrawn.

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.

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.

Mississippi Privacy Died

Allows parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in public schools to opt-out of sharing their child's personal information with the federal government and other agencies and private contractors. Personal information includes a DNA sequence. 1/31/2017 Died in Committee.

New Jersey Privacy Died

Expands the state law on discrimination by prohibiting any entity that operates a health program or activity from: 1. Excluding participation in, deny the benefits of, or otherwise discriminate under any health program or activity on the basis of an individual�s genetic information or 2. Aiding or perpetuating discrimination against any person by providing significant assistance to any entity or person that discriminates on the basis of genetic information. 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. Provisions include that no greater than minimal risk non-therapeutic human research may be conducted on a child without consent of a parent or guardian. Died.

Oklahoma Other Topics Died

Requires certain residents of long-term care facilities to have a pharmacogenomics profile conducted. The profile must include the results of at least eighteen genes tested and be accompanied by treatment guidance for each disease state-tested. Died.

Illinois Privacy Died

Amends the Personal Information Protection Act. Provides that individuals and entities have intellectual property rights in their digital identity assets. Provides for the payment of royalties to individuals and entities for access, for the purpose of commercial advertising, to their digital assets. Digital assets include, but are not limited to, information accumulated regarding an individual's or entity's personal information. Personal information includes medical history such as RNA and DNA profiles and genetic history. Carries over to 2022 session.

Virginia Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill prohibits the treatment of genetic information as a preexisting condition in basic health insurance plans in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to such information. Measure failed.

Connecticut Other Topics Died

Creates a penalty for the unauthorized public photography of an individual with a genetic or medical condition. Died.

Illinois Privacy Died

Requires health insurance providers to protect health information related to sensitive services. A 2016 House Amendment would define sensitive services to include genetic testing. Died.

Maryland Other Topics Died

Repeals a prohibition on advertising for or soliciting business related to direct to consumer genetic testing in the State. 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.

California Health Insurance Coverage Died

Prohibits a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy that covers prescription drug benefits from denying or otherwise limiting coverage of a genetically targeted drug for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy under specified circumstances. Died.

Florida Privacy Died

Creates the Florida privacy Protection Act. Requires collectors to provide notice to consumers about data collection and selling practices. Provides consumers right to request data be disclosed, deleted, or corrected and to opt-in or opt-out of sale or sharing of such data. Provides nondiscrimination measures, methods for requesting data and opting-in or opting-out of sale or sharing of such data, private cause of action, enforcement, and jurisdiction. Personal information is defined to include biometric information such as DNA. 4/30/21 Died in returning messages.

Louisiana Employment Nondiscrimination Died

This bill changes the person in charge of promulgating regulations for genetic monitoring from the executive director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission to the chairman of the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights. Measure failed.

Maryland Privacy Died

Requires certain businesses that collect a consumer's personal information, including biometric information such as an individual's DNA, to provide certain clear and conspicuous notices to the consumer at or before the point of collection. Authorizes a consumer to submit a certain request for information to a business that collects the consumer's personal information. Requires a business to comply with a request for information within 45 days after receiving a request. Died.

Michigan Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Research Died

This bill applies to insurers that provide Medicare supplement policies or certificates only. Denying or conditioning the issuance or effectiveness of insurance, including pre-existing condition exclusions, on the basis of genetic information is prohibited. These insurers of these policies or certificates may not (1) discriminate with respect to pricing on the basis of genetic information, (2) request or require an individual or family member to undergo a genetic test (with an exception regarding requesting a test), or (3) use the manifestation of disease in an individual as genetic information about another group members and to further increase premiums for the group. Insurers may request a genetic test from an individual or family member only if the request is pursuant to research that applies to the Common Rule and other criteria are met. Measure failed.

Missouri Privacy Died

Protects the privacy of student data, which encompasses biometric records. Biometric records is defined to include DNA. Died.

New Jersey Privacy Died

Requires certain businesses to notify data subjects of collection of personally identifiable information and establishes certain security standards. Personally identifiable information is defined to include biometric information such as DNA. Died.

New York Privacy 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 Privacy Died

Creates the Consumer privacy Protection Act. Establishes requirements for the collection, use, sale, retention and disclosure of personal information by businesses. Personal information is defined to include biometric information such as DNA. Died.

Washington Privacy Died

Establishes protections for student biometric information, including a DNA sequence. Died.

Alaska Privacy Died

Excludes DNA samples collected in the course of the person's business of determining genetic genealogy from the state genetic privacy law. Died.

Florida Employment Nondiscrimination Died

This bill prohibits appointments, terminations, assignments, and maintenance of status, compensation, privileges and other terms and conditions of employment in the state personnel system based on genetic information. Measure failed.

Indiana Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Specifies that a state employee health plan, a policy of accident and sickness insurance, and a health maintenance organization contract must provide for availability, renewability, premium rating, and coverage without regard to health status, including genetic information. Died.

Maryland Research Died

Requiring hospital administrators to provide patients with a specified patient's bill of rights. The bill of rights addresses patient participation in research. Died.

Massachusetts Privacy Died

The bill amends statute sections pertaining to the department of consumer affairs and business regulations relative to any person that owns or licenses personal information about a resident of the commonwealth. Changes add biometric information, including genetic information, to the types of personal information protected under the law. Died.

Minnesota Privacy Died

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

New Hampshire Privacy Died

Prohibits the collection, tracking, housing, storage, reporting or sharing of personally identifiable information with the federal government or for-profit corporations. The findings and purpose section of the bill lists a DNA sequence as private student data. Died on the Table.

New York Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill defines the term "genetic predisposition" for purposes of individual and small group health insurance policies, requires that genetic predisposition be disregarded in community rating, and provides that no pre-existing condition exclusion in such a policy shall exclude coverage on the basis of any genetic predisposition. Measure failed.

New York Privacy Died

Establishes the It's Your Data Act to provide protections and transparency in the collection use retention and sharing of personal information. Personal information is defined to include biometric information such as a DNA sequence. Referred to Rules 10/28/2020. 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