SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham’s legislation to prevent genetic marker data from being used by employers and insurers has passed out of the Senate.

“With the field of medicine progressing, we face a new set of privacy challenges,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “We want to encourage people to take part in these new beneficial practices, while keeping important genetic data about them out of the wrong hands.”

Senate Bill 2886 would update Genetic Information Privacy Act to expand existing safeguards to include biomarker testing, in addition to genetic testing. The measure clarifies that information derived from these tests is confidential and privileged, and may only be released to the individual tested or to those specifically authorized in writing.

Under this legislation, insurers would be prohibited from seeking or using information derived from genetic or biomarker testing, unless an individual voluntarily submits favorable results. The bill also would limit employer’s access to the information, protecting from discrimination.

“Your personal health and wellbeing should be shared with who you want, not with who’s looking,” said Cunningham. “This bill will ensure that your genetic marker information will not fall into the hands of prying employers or insurers.”

Senate Bill 2886 has passed out of the Senate and heads to the House for further consideration.