Legislation that would ban genetic discrimination by employers, group health plans and insurers passed the full Senate October 14th by a vote of 95-0. Under the The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2003 (S. 1053) employers would be:
- barred from using genetic information in making employment decisions, including hiring, firing, compensation and promotions;
- prevented from collecting genetic information except in special circumstances, such as monitoring the effects of hazardous workplace conditions.
Also, health insurers, meanwhile, would be prohibited from:
- using genetic information to deny coverage or set rates;
- collecting genetic information before a person is enrolled in an insurance plan;
- and requesting that anyone take a genetic test.
As reported by the New York Times today in this article–“Senate Backs Genetic Privacy Bill“– the White House supports the measure, but the bill “faces an uncertain future in the House, where Representative Louise M. Slaughter, Democrat of New York, has been working on a similar measure since 1995.”
The Wall Street Journal reports in this article–“In 95-0 Vote, Senate Passes Bill Barring Genetic Discrimination“–that “Rep. John Boehner (R., Ohio), chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said hearings would be held on the bill’s employment-related provisions, but House passage this year seems unlikely.”