California · Legislation

SB 41 (2021)

Genetic Information Privacy Act

Status: Enacted
Effective date: January 1, 2022
Last reviewed: September 2, 2026
Source review: Primary source reviewed

Summary

California's Genetic Information Privacy Act took effect on January 1, 2022. It regulates direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies that collect, use, maintain, or disclose genetic data collected or derived from a consumer or from the consumer's biological sample.

Topics: Genetic data storage/privacy/sharing (industry)

What it requires or prohibits

Covered companies must publish privacy notices, obtain separate express consent for listed uses and disclosures, provide access and deletion methods, and maintain reasonable security practices. After a qualifying consent revocation, a company must destroy the consumer's biological sample within 30 days.

In plain language

If you use a genetic testing company covered by the act, it must explain its data practices and ask separately before several uses or disclosures. You may access or delete your data and request sample destruction through the act's procedures.

Primary sources

SB 41 bill text, chaptered version. California Legislative Information. Accessed September 2, 2026.

Record details

Record metadata

Jurisdiction: California
Record type: Legislation
Session: 2021-2022
Statute citation: California Civil Code §§ 56.18-56.186
Introduced: December 7, 2020
Signed: October 6, 2021
Effective: January 1, 2022
Last reviewed: September 2, 2026
Record version: 1.1
Source review: Primary source reviewed
Permanent URL: https://whoownsyourdna.org/records/ca-sb-41-2021/

Record history

December 7, 2020: Bill introduced. Source: California Legislative Information.
October 6, 2021: Approved by the Governor and chaptered. Source: California Legislative Information.
August 31, 2026: Record created from the chaptered bill text.
September 2, 2026: Project-authored analysis revised after primary-source review.

Technical metadata

Record ID: ca-sb-41-2021

Topics: genetic-data-storage-privacy-sharing-industry

Record data file: data/states/california/ca-sb-41-2021.yaml

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Suggest a correction to SB 41 (2021)

Cite this record

Who Owns Your DNA? SB 41 (2021): Genetic Information Privacy Act. U.S. Genetics & Genomics Law and Policy Tracker. Record version 1.1. Accessed [date]. https://whoownsyourdna.org/records/ca-sb-41-2021/

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