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$tate of \!rennessee
PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 96
HOUSE BILL NO. 395
By Representatives Terry, Leatherwood, Reedy, Butler, Hill, Greg Martin, Hawk, Helton-
Haynes
Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 318
By Senators Lowe, Rose, Stevens
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 56 and Title 68, relative to the
Tennessee Genomic Security and End Organ Harvesting Act.
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that a company
sanctioned by an adversarial military power does not gain access to genetic information from
the United States; to combat the heinous practice of forcibly harvesting organs from living
persons for transplant; to bring awareness concerning the People's Republic of China's state-
sanctioned practice of forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience and other vulnerable
persons; and to prevent residents of this State from unknowingly involving themselves in forced
organ harvesting; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of this State to recognize and fully oppose the heinous
practice of forced organ harvesting conducted by the People's Republic of China and the
Chinese Communist Party against prisoners, political dissidents, and other individuals who are
held and abused in violation of their basic human rights within the People's Republic of China;
and
WHEREAS, it is intent of this State to oppose the collection and analysis of genetic
information for use by the military and surveillance state of the People's Republic of China, and
to support sanctions imposed by the United States Department of Commerce and Department
of Defense upon companies engaged in the collection and analysis of genetic information on
behalf of the military and surveillance state of the People's Republic of China; now, therefore,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 30, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
68-30-201.
This part is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Genomic Security and
End Organ Harvesting Act."
68-30-202.
As used in this part:
(1) "Company" means a for-profit sole proprietorship, organization,
association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited
liability partnership, or limited liability company, including a wholly owned
subsidiary, majority-owned subsidiary, parent company, or affiliate of such
entities or business associations that exists to make a profit; or a nonprofit
organization;
(2) "Domicile" means the country in which:
(A) A company is registered and the company's headquarters is
located;
(B) A majority of a company's affairs are conducted; or
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(C) The majority of a company's ownership shares are held;
(3) "Forced organ harvesting" means the removal of one (1) or more
organs from a living person or a person killed for the purpose of removal of one
(1) or more organs by means of coercion, abduction, deception, fraud, or abuse
of power or a position of vulnerability;
(4) "Foreign adversary" means a nation specified in 15 CFR 791.4;
(5) "Genetic sequencer" means a device or platform used to conduct
genetic sequencing, resequencing, isolation, or other genetic research;
(6) "Genetic sequencing" means a method to determine the identity and
order of nucleotide bases in the human genome;
(7) "Genomic research facility" means a facility that conducts research on,
with, or relating to genetic sequencing or the human genome;
(8) "Health benefit plan" means health insurance coverage as defined in §
56-7-109;
(9) "Health insurer" means a health insurance entity as defined in § 56-7-
109;
(10) "Human genome" means deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic
acid (RNA) found in human cells;
(11) "Medical facility" means a facility for the delivery of health services
that:
(A) Receives state funds, including interagency pass-through
appropriations from the federal government;
(B) Is licensed or registered with this state to provide healthcare
services in this state; or
(C) Conducts research or testing on, with, or relating to genetic
sequencing or the human genome;
(12) "Operational and research software" means computer programs
used for the operation, control, analysis, or other necessary functions of genetic
sequencing or genetic sequencers; and
(13) "Software" means a program or routine that is used or intended for
use to cause one (1) or more computers or pieces of computer-related peripheral
equipment, or any combination of such equipment, to perform a task, as it relates
to genetic sequencing or genetic sequencers.
68-30-203.
(a) This part applies to a health benefit plan that is offered, issued, delivered,
amended, or renewed by a health insurer to take effect on or after January 1, 2026.
(b) A health insurer shall not knowingly provide coverage for a human organ
transplant if:
(1) The transplant operation is performed in the People's Republic of
China; or
(2) The human organ to be transplanted was procured by sale or donation
originating in the People's Republic of China.
(c) The commissioner of health may designate additional countries with
governments that fund, sponsor, or otherwise facilitate forced organ harvesting and shall
provide written notice to the governor when the commissioner of health designates an
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additional country. The commissioner shall maintain a list of designated countries on the
department's public website.
68-30-204.
(a) A medical facility or research facility shall not use genetic sequencers, or any
operational or research software used for genetic sequencing, produced in or by a
foreign adversary, a state-owned enterprise of a foreign adversary, a company domiciled
within a foreign adversary, or a subsidiary or affiliate that is owned or controlled by a
company domiciled within a foreign adversary.
(b) All genetic sequencers and operational and research software used for
genetic sequencers or genetic sequencing devices prohibited under subsection (a),
which are not permanently disabled, must be removed and replaced within one hundred
eighty (180) days after the effective date of this act with genetic sequencers and
operational and research software used for genetic sequencers or genetic sequencing in
compliance with this section.
(c) A medical facility or research facility is not required to investigate any
individual component of genetic sequencing equipment or software to be in compliance
with this section.
68-30-205.
(a) A medical facility or research facility shall not store genetic sequencing data
within a foreign adversary. The medical facility or research facility shall not allow remote
access to genetic sequencing data storage within its direction or control, other than open
data, to a foreign adversary, unless approved in writing by the commissioner of health.
(b) Medical facilities, research institutions, and other companies and entities
storing genetic sequencing data, including through contracts with third-party data
storage companies, must ensure the security of genetic sequencing data using
reasonable encryption methods, restrictions on access, and other cybersecurity best
practices.
68-30-206.
(a)
(1) On or before July 1 each year, under the penalties of perjury, each
medical facility and research institution covered under this part shall certify to the
commissioner of health that the facility or institution is compliant with this part.
(2) On or before July 1 each year, under the penalties of perjury, each
licensed health facility covered under this part shall certify to the health facilities
commission that the licensed health facility is compliant with this part.
(b)
(1)
(A) Any medical facility or research institution that violates § 68-
30-204(a) is subject to a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each
violation, to be imposed by the commissioner of health.
(B) Any licensed health facility that violates § 68-30-204(a) is
subject to a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation, to be
imposed by the health facilities commission.
(2) For the purposes of subdivision (b)(1), a violation occurs each
instance an individual's genome having undergone genetic sequencing or
analysis using prohibited genetic sequencers or operational and research
software is used for genetic sequencers or genetic sequencing.
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(c) A health benefit plan that knowingly provides coverage for an organ transplant
prohibited by this part is subject to a fine of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for
each violation, to be imposed by the commissioner of commerce and insurance.
(d) An entity that knowingly stores genetic sequencing data outside of the United
States as prohibited in § 68-30-205 is subject to a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000)
for each violation, to be imposed by the commissioner of health.
68-30-207.
(a) If a person is a patient or research subject of an entity that is found guilty of a
violation of § 68-30-204, and that person's genetic information was used in the violation,
then the person is entitled to recover statutory damages of not less than five thousand
dollars ($5,000) for each unique use of the person's genomic information.
(b) If a person is a patient or research subject of an entity that is found guilty of a
violation of § 68-30-205, and that person's genetic information was used in the violation,
then the person is entitled to recover statutory damages of not less than five thousand
dollars ($5,000) for each unique use of the person's genomic information.
68-11-208.
(a) The health facilities commission is authorized to investigate allegations of
violations of this part.
(b) Any person may notify the health facilities commission of a violation or
potential violation of this part.
(c) The health facilities commission shall take no further action on a complaint if
the health facilities commission must obtain authorization to enter a facility from the
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and CMS denies the authorization to
enter.
(d) If an employee of an entity accused of a violation notifies the health facilities
commission of a violation or a potential violation, then the employee is afforded all
protections as described in§ 50-1-304.
SECTION 2. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
this act are severable.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
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HOUSE BILL NO. 395
PASSED: March 17, 2025
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
cir- APPROVED this ;;);8tfl.. day of M<Ar 2025
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BILL LEE, GOVERNOREvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.