Don’t Sell My DNA Act
Sponsored By: Senator Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced
Summary
Keeps people's genetic data out of bankruptcy sales without consent. This bill would add genetic information, as defined in GINA Section 201, to the bankruptcy code's protected personally identifiable information and impose strict notice, consent, and deletion rules.
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- Families and individuals: People whose genetic information is part of a bankruptcy estate would have to receive actual prior written notice and give affirmative written consent before any sale, lease, or use could be approved.
- Trustees and estate administrators: A trustee would have to delete any genetic information that remains estate property and is not sold, using court-prescribed methods that may include the NIST SP 800-88 media sanitization guidelines.
- Buyers, researchers, and companies: Any sale or lease that would include genetic information could not be approved unless all affected persons, including non-parties, affirmatively consent in writing, and the sale must avoid violating applicable nonbankruptcy law.
- Scope and timing: The changes would take effect on enactment and would apply to cases pending at enactment and to cases commenced or reopened on or after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New privacy rules for DNA data
If enacted, the bill would treat genetic information as protected personal data in bankruptcy by adding it to the definition of personally identifiable information (using GINA Section 201). If a bankruptcy estate contains genetic data, no use, sale, or lease could be approved unless every person whose genetic data is affected, including non-parties, gives written consent after the case starts. The bill would also require actual prior written notice to each affected person before any proposed sale, use, or lease. Trustees would need to delete genetic data that was not sold, using court-approved methods (which may include the NIST SP 800-88 sanitization guidelines).
When the DNA protections would apply
If enacted, the bill would take effect on the date it becomes law. The new rules would apply to any bankruptcy case pending on that date. They would also apply to cases filed or reopened on or after that date. This means ongoing, new, and reopened title 11 cases would follow the new genetic-data rules from enactment forward.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 5/22/2025
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 5/22/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/9/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov