AB 1063
Search warrants: newborn screening program.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Health
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Sign in to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill modifies California’s newborn screening program by establishing specific circumstances under which the Department of Public Health can release a newborn’s blood test to law enforcement. Specifically, the department can release the sample only if a search warrant’s objective is to obtain DNA to identify a missing person suspected of being a victim of homicide, child abuse, or manslaughter, and to upload the sample to the Department of Justice Missing Persons DNA Database. The bill also requires the department to report annually on the number of search warrants received and disclosures granted related to these releases.
Key provisions
- Allows the Department of Public Health to release a newborn’s blood test to law enforcement under specific warrant conditions.
- Specifies that the warrant must be to obtain DNA to identify a missing person suspected of homicide, child abuse resulting in death, or manslaughter.
- Requires the DNA sample to be uploaded to the Department of Justice Missing Persons DNA Database.
- Prohibits search warrants for the blood test unless the objective aligns with identifying a missing person.
- Mandates an annual report to the Legislature detailing search warrants received and disclosures granted.
- Requires the department to report on the number of new residual screening specimens collected annually.
- Requires the department to report on the number of inheritable conditions identified annually.
- Requires the department to report on the number of specimens provided for research projects.
Who is affected
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yoursRead the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
AB1063:v99#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1063
| Introduced by Assembly Member Dixon |
| February 20, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 125010 of, and to add Section 125003 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1063, as introduced, Dixon. Search warrants: newborn screening program.
Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to establish a genetic disease unit to, among other responsibilities, promote a statewide program of information, testing, and counseling services related to genetic diseases, and administer that information, testing, and counseling to each child born in the state, as specified. Existing law requires all information obtained from persons involved in hereditary disorders programs to be held strictly confidential.
Existing law sets forth the grounds and procedures for the issuance of a search warrant and authorizes the issuance of a search warrant upon specified grounds, including that the property or things to be seized consist of an item or constitute evidence that tends to show a felony has been committed or that a particular person has committed a felony.
This bill would authorize the department to release a physical blood test taken from a newborn to law enforcement in response to a search warrant only if the objective of the warrant is to obtain the DNA of a missing person suspected to be a victim of homicide, child abuse resulting in death, or manslaughter in order to compare the DNA to other samples in the Department of Justice Missing Persons DNA Database and to upload the sample for future identification of the person.
Existing law requires the department, commencing July 1, 2026, to annually generate a report to the Legislature regarding the newborn screening program, including the number of new residual screening specimens collected during the previous calendar year, until the department has provided 5 annual reports.
The bill would require the department, as part of its annual report, to report to the Legislature the number of search warrants received by and the number of disclosures granted by the department.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 125003 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
125003.
(a) The department may release a physical blood test taken from a newborn to law enforcement in response to a search warrant only if the objective of the warrant is to obtain the DNA of a missing person suspected to be a victim of homicide, child abuse resulting in death, or manslaughter in order to compare the DNA to other samples in the Department of Justice Missing Persons DNA Database and to upload the sample for future identification of the person.
(b) Law enforcement shall not request or obtain a search warrant for the physical blood test taken from a newborn for any reason not described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, for any of the following purposes:
(1) To determine whether a person is a suspect in a crime.
(2) To create a DNA database of suspects or nonsuspects.
(3) To establish the guilt of a person.
SEC. 2.
Section 125010 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
125010.
Commencing July 1, 2026, and each July 1 thereafter, the State Department of Public Health shall generate a report that includes each of the following:
(a) The total number of any residual screening specimens stored by the California Biobank Program.
(b) The number of new residual screening specimens collected during the previous calendar year.
(c) The number of inheritable conditions identified by the original screening tests during the previous calendar year.
(d) The number of projects utilizing specimens from the California Biobank Program.
(e) The number of published research studies where biospecimens from the California Biobank Program were used or referenced and the potential public health benefits from the research.
(f) The number of specimens provided by the California Biobank Program for each research project.
(g) The number of screening tests waived for religious purposes during the previous calendar year.
(h) The number of residual screening specimens destroyed at the request of a parent or adult during the previous calendar year.
(i) The number of residual screening samples remaining to be destroyed at the request of a parent or adult during the previous calendar year.
(j) The number of search warrants received by the California Biobank Program during the previous calendar year as described in Section 125003.(k) The number of disclosures granted by the California Biobank Program pursuant to a search warrant during the previous calendar year as described in Section 125003.