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Rhode IslandS22032026 Regular SessionSenate

AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT .

Sponsored By: Samuel D. Zurier (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Clear consent and control over your DNA

Direct‑to‑consumer genetic testing companies must give you a plain‑language privacy notice. They must get your clear, separate OK to use your data, keep your sample after testing, make each new use, make each named third‑party transfer, and do any marketing tied to your data or order. Your silence is not consent, and dark‑pattern tricks are banned. You can revoke consent; the company must honor it within 30 days and destroy any stored sample within 30 days. You can see your data, delete your account and data (except what law requires them to keep), and ask to destroy your sample. Third‑party ads must be labeled as ads and name who placed them; basic on‑site ads that don’t use your personal info don’t need extra consent.

Insurers and employers kept out of your DNA

Genetic testing companies cannot share your genetic data with health, life, long‑term care, or disability insurers, employers, or their advisors. A narrow exception applies only if the recipient is not mainly in those roles, the data is not shared for those decisions, and any unit that does that work is blocked from access. No one can punish you for using your rights under this law, including by denying service, charging more, giving worse service, or treating you as suspicious.

State penalties for genetic privacy violations

The Rhode Island Attorney General enforces this law in court. Negligent violations can cost up to $1,000 plus court costs; willful violations cost $1,000–$10,000 plus court costs. Penalties go to the person whose data was involved, and court costs go to the prosecutor. Contract terms that delay or block these remedies are invalid, and each violation counts separately.

HIPAA-covered care and some research excluded

This law does not apply to medical records covered by HIPAA or state medical privacy rules, HIPAA‑covered providers and business associates handling PHI, certain university research under federal human‑subjects protections, the newborn screening program, tests done only to diagnose a specific disease as medical/PHI, or employer uses only to meet workplace health‑safety laws. These exclusions apply only when the data is handled the same way as medical or protected health information.

Stricter limits on sharing your genetic data

Companies must bind their labs and vendors so they only use your sample and genetic data to do the job hired, and they cannot keep, reidentify, or combine it with other data. Data that is truly deidentified is not treated as genetic data, but the company must take steps to prevent reidentification, publicly promise not to reidentify it, require the same from recipients, and destroy any reidentified data found during testing.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Samuel D. Zurier

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Dawn Euer

    Democratic • Senate

  • Victoria Gu

    Democratic • Senate

  • Lori Urso

    Democratic • Senate

  • Bridget Valverde

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 106 • No: 0

House vote • 6/8/2026

GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE

Yes: 69 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/5/2026

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW-- GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT Passage

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by Governor — Chapter 222

    6/19/2026Governor

  2. Transmitted to Governor

    6/16/2026Governor

  3. House passed in concurrence

    6/8/2026House

  4. Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/08/2026)

    6/5/2026House

  5. Committee recommends passage in concurrence

    6/3/2026

  6. Scheduled for consideration (06/03/2026)

    5/29/2026

  7. Referred to House Judiciary

    5/6/2026House

  8. Senate read and passed

    5/5/2026Senate

  9. Placed on Senate Calendar (05/05/2026)

    4/29/2026Senate

  10. Committee recommends passage

    4/28/2026

  11. Scheduled for consideration (04/28/2026)

    4/24/2026

  12. Committee recommended measure be held for further study

    4/14/2026

  13. Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/14/2026)

    4/10/2026

  14. Introduced, referred to Senate Commerce

    1/23/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • S2203 - As Introduced

    1/23/2026

    HTMLPDF

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