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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
Texas Genetic data storage/privacy/sharing (industry) Approved

Relating to an individual's genetic data, including the use of that data by certain genetic testing companies for commercial purposes and the individual's property right in DNA; authorizing a civil p...

Pennsylvania Coverage and reimbursement Approved

An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, further providing for coverage for mammographic examinations and diagnost...

Montana Neonatal sequencing Approved

Revise laws related to collection of genetic material for newborn screenings.

New Hampshire Genetic data storage/privacy/sharing (medicine) Approved

Relative to conditions for genetic testing.

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.

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.

Maryland Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Other Lines of Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

This bill repeals an exemption for disability insurance under the state genetic nondiscrimination law and amends the definition of genetic information used in the health_insurance_nondiscrimination law. Measure failed.

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.

Arizona Other Topics Died

Prohibits placing an inmate in isolated confinement based on certain factors, including genetic information. Died.

Florida Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Creates the Healthy Florida program to be administered by the Healthy Florida Board. Every resident of Florida is eligible and entitled to enroll under the Healthy Florida program. The program may not discriminate based on genetic information. 3/10/2018 Died in Banking and Insurance.

Kentucky Health Insurance Nondiscrimination, Privacy Died

This bill prohibits the adjustment of premium or contribution amounts based on genetic information; prohibits an insurer from requesting or requiring a genetic test of a member unless made pursuant to the Common Rule, equivalent federal regulations or any applicable administrative regulation for the protection of human subjects in research; prohibits the use of genetic information for underwriting purposes; prohibits the request, requirement, or purchase of genetic information by an insurer prior to an individual's enrollment under a plan; precludes insurers from requiring genetic information for eligibility for health insurance in the individual market; and prohibits the use of genetic information for the purpose of imposing any pre-existing condition exclusion. Measure failed.

Maryland Other Topics Died

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

Texas Privacy Died

Establishes protections for the privacy of a consumer's personal information collected by certain businesses, including biometric information. Biometric information includes DNA. Died.

Wisconsin Employment Nondiscrimination Died

Authorizes the circuit court to order a person who engages in discrimination in employment, unfair honesty testing, or unfair genetic testing to pay compensatory and punitive damages. 4/13/2016 Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.

Connecticut Privacy Died

Requires businesses to disclose the proposed use of any personal information and to give consumers the right to discover what personal information the business possesses. Consumers may opt out of the sale of such information. Personal information is defined to include biometric information such as DNA which can be used to identify an individual. Died.

Illinois Privacy Died

Amends the School Code to add provisions concerning student and educator data privacy. Protections cover biometric records, defined to include DNA. Died.

Maryland Other Topics, Privacy Died

Permits a health insurance carrier to make available upon request an upgrade to a biometric health care identification card that can securely validate one's identity and access his or her medical history. Biometric identification is defined to include DNA. Died.

Minnesota Other Topics Died

This bill requires any person who provides a specimen collection kit to a resident of Minnesota for the purpose of collecting genetic material to perform a genetic test to first provide the resident with the disclosure, as described in the legislation. The bill also requires a study to determine which companies and laboratories are providing direct-to-consumer genetic tests to Minnesota residents. 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. 4/22/2021 Voted Do Pass Senate Insurance and Banking Committee. Died.

New Mexico Privacy Died

Prohibits the disclosure of sensitive personal information by a state agency employee acquired by virtue of the employee's position with a state agency to anyone outside the state agency except under specified circumstances. Died.

New York Research Died

Regulates the use of human subjects for medical research and experimentation, including subjects with mental disorders and children. Died.

Tennessee Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Prior to amendment, this bill exempt insurance pools created by an association of private, not-for-profit educational institutions that has been in existence for at least 25 years from the provisions governing genetic information nondiscrimination. This language was removed from the final version of the bill. The companion bill substituted with SB 343 signed by the Governor May 15, 2007.

Washington Privacy Died

Requires controller who determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data to obtain consent prior to processing sensitive data, including genetic data. Controllers must conduct an assessment of activities pertaining to the processing of sensitive data. Died.

California Health Insurance Coverage Died

Requires a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2015, to provide coverage for genetic testing for Lynch syndrome. Died.

Florida Privacy Died

Creates the Florida privacy Protection Act. Requires certain businesses that collect consumer personal information to provide certain information to the consumer. Provides that consumers have the right to direct certain businesses not to sell their personal information. Prohibits businesses from selling the personal information of consumers younger than a specified age without express authorization from the consumer or the consumer�s parent or guardian under certain circumstances. Authorizes consumers to initiate civil actions for violations. Personal information is defined to include biometric information such as DNA. 4/28/21 Read 2nd time. Substituted CS/CS/CS/HB 969 (Died in returning Messages). Laid on Table - SJ 753.

Kentucky Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Establishes health-status eligibility rules for health benefit plans in any market. Prohibits requiring a greater premium or contribution, or different benefits coverage, on the basis of any health status-related factor, including genetic information. Prohibits pre-existing condition exclusions. Prohibits adjustment of premium or contribution amounts for group health plans on the basis of genetic information. Died.

Maryland Privacy Died

Establishes consumer protections pertaining to the collection, possession, use, disclosure and retention of biometric identifiers. Biometric information is defined to include genetic markers and genetic testing information. Died.

Massachusetts Other Topics Died

Prohibits local or state administrative, legislative or regulatory body or instrumentality from engaging in discriminatory land use practices based on a variety of factors, including genetic information. 4/11/2018 Accompanied a new draft, see H4397.

Mississippi Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

In the group health market genetic information may not be excluded as a preexisting condition in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to the genet ic information. Measure failed.

New Jersey Privacy Died

Prohibits governmental collection of biometric identifiers without consent, including DNA. Died.

New York Privacy Died

This bill establishes the Medicaid identification and anti-fraud biometric technology pilot program. Biometric technologies includes, but is not limited to, DNA and other identifiers. Died.

North Dakota Privacy Died

Enacts a new chapter of the statutes relating to genetic privacy. A person may not collect a DNA sample from an individual, perform a DNA analysis on a sample, retain a DNA sample or the results of a DNA analysis, or disclose the results of a DNA analysis unless the person has first obtained the informed and written consent of the individual or of the individual's legal guardian or authorized representative, for the collection, analysis, retention, or disclosure. A DNA sample and the results of a DNA analysis performed on the sample are the exclusive property of the individual sampled or analyzed. The bill provides certain exemptions. Died.

Vermont Privacy Died

Proposes to identify a DNA sample and the results of a DNA analysis performed on the sample as the exclusive property of the person sampled or analyzed and to provide criminal and civil penalties for unlawful DNA collection, analysis, retention, or disclosure. Died.

Wisconsin Privacy Died

Establishes requirements on controllers that process consumers' personal data, including genetic data. 4/1/2020 Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.

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.

Mississippi Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Died

Prohibits health plans from denying coverage for a preexisting condition unless certain conditions are met. Genetic information may not be excluded as a preexisting condition in the absence of a diagnosis of the condition related to the genetic information. 1/30/2018 Died in Committee.

New Jersey Privacy Died

Establishes personal property rights to DNA samples and genetic information resulting from DNA analysis. Requires consent for use of samples and information from person sampled or analyzed. Died.

New York Privacy Died

Requires written notification to parents of infant's whose DNA or blood spots are retained. Died.

Oklahoma Other Topics Died

Prohibits discrimination based on genetic information in housing and the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of a place of public accommodation. Died.

Virginia Employment Nondiscrimination Died

This bill amends the state employment genetic nondiscrimination law by adding the Commonwealth or any of its agencies, institutions, or political subdivisions, or any public body to the list of entities covered under the law. 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