# Rhode Island S2203: AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT . Rhode Island S2203, AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT ., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Samuel D. Zurier (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-19 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 222) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2203-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Rhode Island S2203 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT . - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-23 - Last action: 2026-06-19, Signed by Governor — Chapter 222 - Sponsor: Samuel D. Zurier (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 4 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (106 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Clear consent and control over your DNA: benefit, medium. 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… - Insurers and employers kept out of your DNA: benefit, medium. 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 wo… - State penalties for genetic privacy violations: benefit, medium. 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… - Stricter limits on sharing your genetic data: benefit, low. 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,… - HIPAA-covered care and some research excluded: mixed, medium. 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 disea… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Samuel D. Zurier (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Dawn Euer (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Victoria Gu (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lori Urso (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Bridget Valverde (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-08 | House | GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 69 | 0 | | | 2026-05-05 | Senate | RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW-- GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY ACT Passage | pass | 37 | 0 | | ## Actions (14) - 2026-06-19: Signed by Governor — Chapter 222 (Governor) - 2026-06-16: Transmitted to Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-08: House passed in concurrence (House) - 2026-06-05: Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/08/2026) (House) - 2026-06-03: Committee recommends passage in concurrence - 2026-05-29: Scheduled for consideration (06/03/2026) - 2026-05-06: Referred to House Judiciary (House) - 2026-05-05: Senate read and passed (Senate) - 2026-04-29: Placed on Senate Calendar (05/05/2026) (Senate) - 2026-04-28: Committee recommends passage - 2026-04-24: Scheduled for consideration (04/28/2026) - 2026-04-14: Committee recommended measure be held for further study - 2026-04-10: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/14/2026) - 2026-01-23: Introduced, referred to Senate Commerce (Senate) ## Bill text - S2203 - As Introduced, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2203.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2203.pdf) ## Related bills - H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS . (became law) - H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY . (became law) - H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT . (became law) - H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN . (became law) - H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES . (became law) - H8437: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION . (became law) ## Sources - [S2203 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2203.htm) - [S2203 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2203.pdf) ## Related - [H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8605-2026) - [H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8586-2026) - [H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8580-2026) - [H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8506-2026) - [H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8525-2026) - [H8437: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8437-2026) - [Rhode Island bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island/bills) - [Rhode Island state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2203-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).