The California Senate Appropriations Committee is considering a DNA privacy bill requiring that a person's genetic information be made accessible only to individuals specifically named on a consent form and only for the purposes stated on the form.
According to a news report in Nature, scientists fear the proposed legislation would seriously hinder genomics research in the state by requiring authorization for re-use of genetic data even when it is from anonymous subjects.
State Senator Alex Padilla, the bill's author, said he is receiving "constructive" feedback from stakeholders, including California researchers. "My intent is not to impede research," Padilla said, "[but] to protect consumers."