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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
Kansas Privacy Died

The state board, the department of education, a unified school district or local education agency may not provide any personally identifiable information of any student or teacher, including a DNA sequence, to any federal agency, any Kansas state or local agency, state or local agency outside the state of Kansas, or any other organization or entity unless under specified circumstances. Died.

New Mexico Health Insurance Coverage Died

An individual or group health insurance policy, health care plan or certificate of health insurance that is delivered or issued for delivery in New Mexico must provide certain benefits that have, in effect, a rating of "A" or "B" in the current recommendations of the United States preventive services task force, for various services, including genetic counseling and evaluation for breast cancer BRCA-gene testing for women whose family histories are associated with an increased risk for deleterious mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Died in Committee.

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.

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.

South Dakota Health Insurance Coverage Died

Every policy of group or individual health insurance, each service or indemnity-type contract issued by a nonprofit medical or surgical service plan corporation and each health maintenance contract that covers a female, that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in South Dakota, and that provides coverage for occult breast cancer screening must provide additional benefits for (1) comprehensive ultrasound screening if a mammogram demonstrates heterogeneous or dense breast tissue based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology or if a woman is believed to be at an increased risk for breast cancer due to family history or prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing, or other indications as determined by a woman's physician or advanced practice registered nurse; and (2) magnetic resonance imaging in accordance with guidelines established by the American Cancer Society or the American College of Radiology or if a woman is believed to be at an increased risk for breast cancer due to family history or prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing, or other indications as determined by a woman's physician or advanced practice registered nurse. Died.

Washington Other Topics Died

Creates a study committee on human genome editing. 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.

Connecticut Other Topics Died

Establishes a task force to require a study of the link between the abnormal genes associated with breast and ovarian cancers and the nerve death associated with Alzheimer's disease to improve diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment of such disease. Died.

Mississippi Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Creates the small business health insurance pool. Health benefit plans covering small employers may not exclude genetic information as a preexisting condition in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to the genetic information. 1/31/2017 Died in Committee.

Illinois Privacy Died

Amends the Genetic Information privacy Act. Makes a technical change in a section concerning the short title. Died.

New Jersey Other Topics Died

Establishes the New Jersey Pharmacogenomics Commission. Died.

Maryland Other Topics, Privacy Died

Requires the Motor Vehicle Administration to offer to an applicant for a driver's license, identification card, or moped operator's permit the opportunity to upgrade to an enhanced identification document. The enhanced ID will be embedded with memory and a microprocessor chip that stores biometric identifiers, which may include DNA. Died.

New York Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires policies that provide coverage for hospital, surgical or medical to cover screening for ovarian cancer, including genetic testing. Additional coverage is required if genetic testing is positive. Died.

Oklahoma Other Topics Died

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services must contract with a vendor to conduct a pilot project to determine incentives to both health care providers and patients for each care encounter in which the provider and patient incorporate genetic testing for ability to metabolize prescription drugs, drug testing of persons prescribed narcotics and other proven medical interventions made available and recorded through the program in the rendering and utilization of health care. Died.

Virginia Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill prohibits the establishment of rules for eligibility or continued eligibility based on a health status-related factor, including genetic information, in Virginia share health insurance policies. This bill also prohibits pre-existing condition exclusions in these policies based on genetic information in the absence of a diagnosis of a condition related to such information. Measure failed.

Maryland Other Topics Died

Alters the definition of "practice pharmacy" to include the ordering and administering of certain laboratory tests. Requires the State Board of Pharmacy, on or before January 1, 2022, to adopt regulations authorizing a pharmacist to order and administer laboratory tests, without a written, oral or electronically transmitted prescription from an authorized prescriber that measure biomarkers, including deoxyribonucleic acid.

California Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires every health care service plan contract, except a specialized health care service plan contract to provide coverage for genetic testing for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) under certain circumstances. Died.

Minnesota Privacy, Research, Use of Residual Newborn Screening Specimens Died

This bill specifies that newborn screening activities are subject to state law on the collection, storage, use, and dissemination of genetic information. A new statute section also is created on the treatment of biological specimens and health data held by the health department and health boards. The new statute section allows the commissioner to collect, use, store, and disseminate biological specimens and health data to conduct research in a manner that is consistent with the federal common rule for the protection. Died.

Florida Other Topics, Privacy Died

This bill prohibits DNA analysis and disclosure of DNA analysis results without authorization; prohibits the collection or retention of a DNA sample of another person without authorization for specified purposes; prohibits specified DNA analysis and disclosure of DNA analysis results without authorization, etc.

Montana Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Amends state health insurance law by deleting provision related to restrictions on pre-existing condition exclusions, including those based on genetic information. The new law would prohibit any pre-existing condition exclusions. Died.

Kentucky 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 York Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill prohibits denial, cancellation or alteration of a life or disability insurance policy or group life or disability insurance policy, including renewals, on the basis of any genetic testing performed on an insured, applicant or family member of insured or applicant. Measure failed.

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.

New York Privacy Died

Requires every personal information recipient to protect the security and integrity of all personal information in their custody from unauthorized access or unauthorized use. Places strict liability on companies where breaches of security allow for personal information to be compromised. Personal information is defined to include biometric information such as DNA. Died.

Tennessee 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.

West Virginia Privacy Died

Provides that all parental rights are reserved to a parent of a minor child without obstruction or interference from this state, a political subdivision of this state, other governmental entity or other institution including, but not limited to, the right to consent before DNA is created, stored or shared. Died.

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.

Hawaii Employment Nondiscrimination, Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Privacy Died

The bill requires contractors and prospective contractors with the state or counties to comply with the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008. 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.

Maine Privacy Died

Clarifies that certain personal information of municipal employees is confidential and a record or portion of a record containing that information in the possession of a municipal government is not a public record. Personal information includes 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. 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.

Alabama Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Prohibits health benefit plans, life insurers, and long term care insurers from (1) using an individual's genetic information to deny him or her insurance or to establish differentials in premium rates, or (2) requiring or soliciting genetic information, using genetic test results, or considering an individual's decisions or actions relating to genetic testing in any manner for insurance purposes. Died.

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.

Florida Health Insurance Coverage Died

This bill requires individual and group health insurers to provide benefits or coverage for periodic colorectal cancer examinations and laboratory tests for individuals over 50 and for individuals under 50 who are considered high risk. Definition of high risk includes individuals who, because of the presence of recognized genetic markers, face a higher than normal risk of colorectal cancer. Measure failed.

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.

Indiana Research, Use of Residual Newborn Screening Specimens Died

Amends the state's newborn screening statute. The bill requires consent to release newborn's residual blood specimen for epidemiological survey and research. Died.

New Jersey Privacy Died

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

Maryland Privacy Died

Requires certain state and local governmental units to secure by encryption personal information of an individual that the unit has collected as computerized data. Personal information includes a genetic print or image. 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.

Washington Privacy Died

Establishes protections for the use of biometric identifiers of an individual for commercial purposes. Biometric identifier is defined to include DNA. Died.

Massachusetts Privacy Died

Ensures patient privacy and control in health information exchanges by protecting health care information, including genetic information. 5/5/2016 Accompanied a study order, see H4242.

California Employment Nondiscrimination Died

Requires any contracting entity that contracts with independent contractors to provide services to, on behalf of, or through the contracting entity on a freelance or per-gig basis, or virtual platform that enables third parties, including independent contractors, to transact with one another for services, or through which independent contractors can market, promote, or advertise their services to third parties, to maintain a written policy against the discrimination of an independent contractor on the basis of genetic information and other factors. Summary based on version of bill as amended on 5/6/2020 when all language from prior introduced version of bill was stricken. 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.

Colorado Privacy, Research 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.

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.

Idaho Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

The bill amends the state genetic nondiscrimination law by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of genetic information or a genetic test in the issuance of coverage, or the fixing of rates, terms or conditions, for any policy or contract of hospital or medical insurance or any health benefit plan. Measure failed.

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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