Delaware 150th General Assembly (2019-2020) Status: In Committee 8 D cosponsors

SB 17 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO GENETICS BASED DISCRIMINATION.

Last action — Amendment SA 1 to SB 17 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 150th General Assembly (2019-2020). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

The use of genetic information in disqualifying coverage for non-health insurance products, such as disability insurance and long term care insurance, is a gap in the protection provided by the federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. As a result, patients who seek genetic counseling to determine whether they may be at risk for certain diseases, such as genetic testing for the BRCA gene to determine predisposition for breast and prostate cancers, are cautioned that a positive result could result in the person being denied insurance. The potential denial of insurance has a chilling effect on patients seeking genetic testing, blocking them from being proactive by putting in place a preventative care plan that would reduce the likelihood of them getting the specific disease in the future. This Act follows the lead of other states and prohibits discrimination based upon genetic characteristics and information in the issuance or renewal of disability and long term care insurance. This Act also provides a notice requirement if an insurer requires a genetic test. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Amendment SA 1 to SB 17 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  2. Introduced and Assigned to Banking, Business & Insurance Committee in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 14 co-sponsors · 46 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (14)

Not signed on (46)

46 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Subjects

civil-rights healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 17 do?
The use of genetic information in disqualifying coverage for non-health insurance products, such as disability insurance and long term care insurance, is a gap in the protection provided by the federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. As a result, patients who seek genetic counseling to determine whether they may be at risk for certain diseases, such as genetic testing for the BRCA gene to determine predisposition for breast and prostate cancers, are cautioned that a positive result could result in the person being denied insurance. The potential denial of insurance has a chilling effect on patients seeking genetic testing, blocking them from being proactive by putting in place a preventative care plan that would reduce the likelihood of them getting the specific disease in the future. This Act follows the lead of other states and prohibits discrimination based upon genetic characteristics and information in the issuance or renewal of disability and long term care insurance. This Act also provides a notice requirement if an insurer requires a genetic test. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Who sponsors SB 17?
SB 17 is sponsored by Edward S. Osienski (Democratic), Debra Heffernan (Democratic), Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha (Democratic), David P. Sokola (Democratic), Nicole Poore (Democratic), S. Elizabeth Lockman (Democratic), Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic), Ray Seigfried (Democratic), David Bentz, Anthony Delcollo, Bruce C. Ennis, Paul S. Baumbach, Gerald L. Brady, John A. Kowalko, Valerie Longhurst, and Jeffrey N. Spiegelman.
What is the current status of SB 17?
This bill died with 150th General Assembly (2019-2020). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 17?
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