Tracker record · Texas · Statute
Texas Genomic Act of 2025 (HB 130)
Health and Safety Code chapter 174, the Texas Genomic Act of 2025, restricts foreign-adversary access to Texas residents' genetic information. A covered medical facility, research facility, company, or nonprofit organization conducting genome sequencing or human-genome research or testing in Texas may not use a genome sequencer or software produced by or for a foreign adversary, a foreign-adversary state-owned enterprise, a company or nonprofit organization domiciled in a foreign-adversary country, or their owned or controlled subsidiaries or affiliates (sec. 174.005). It may not sell or transfer a Texas resident's genome sequencing data to those parties in bankruptcy or reorganization (sec. 174.006), and may not store such data in a foreign-adversary country; stored data must be secured with reasonable encryption, access restrictions, and cybersecurity best practices and kept inaccessible to persons in foreign-adversary countries, with an exception for clinical trials and biomedical research subject to 28 C.F.R. Part 202 (sec. 174.007). Each covered entity must certify compliance annually to the Attorney General by December 31 through its attorney (sec. 174.008). Enforcement: Attorney General investigation and civil penalties of $10,000 per violation (secs. 174.009, 174.010); a harmed Texas-resident patient or research subject has a private action for the greater of actual damages or up to $5,000 in statutory damages per violation plus costs and attorney's fees (sec. 174.011).
Status
- Legal status
- In effect (HB 130, effective September 1, 2025; §174.006 bankruptcy sale, §174.008 certification, §174.011 private action)
- Allegation or finding
- Operative law
- Applicability
- A medical facility, research facility, company, or nonprofit organization that conducts research on or testing of genome sequencing or the human genome in Texas (sec. 174.003)
- Enforceability
- Binding on parties within scope
- Effective date
- September 1, 2025
- Law checked through
- October 12, 2026
- Primary-source pinpoint
- ch. 174
- Primary source
- https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/HS/htm/HS.174.htm
- Citation
- Health & Safety Code ch. 174 (HB 130, 2025)
- Source
- HB 130, 89th Legislature (2025)