Governor Mead Vetoes Genetic Testing Bill

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead has vetoed a genetic privacy bill approved by lawmakers because of concerns about an amendment that he says could cause some unintended results.

Senate File 31 would require informed consent for testing, disclosing, obtaining or retaining anyone's genetic information.

In a letter to Senate President Eli Bebout explaining why he vetoed the bill, the governor calls the bill's intent "an important goal and one I fully support."

But he says the amendment he objects to could prevent universities and other research or testing facilities from using a third party to store or back up genetic testing data.

It would take a 2/3 majority vote of both houses of the legislature to over-ride the veto. In his letter, the governor said the problem he saw with the bill "may be easily corrected next year." The 2017 legislative session is expected to wrap up on Friday, March 3.

The governor signed the following bills into law on March 1:

1.	SEA0019	SF0043	Alcoholic beverages revisions.
2.	SEA0020	SF0041	Enterprise technology services amendments.
3.	SEA0021	SF0100	Limited liability companies.
4.	SEA0022	SF0059	Government ethics-clerks of the district courts.
5.	SEA0023	SF0052	Fund balance definition.
6.	SEA0024	SF0048	Farm loan program amendments.
7.	SEA0025	SF0047	State institution revenue accounts.
8.	SEA0026	SF0118	Food freedom act-sales locations.
9.	SEA0027	SF0102	Board of county commissioners designee-zoning certificates.
10.	SEA0028	SF0069	Small employer health reinsurance program amendments.
11.	SEA0029	SF0067	CHIP-program amendments.
12.	SEA0030	SF0027	State archives-amendments.
13.	SEA0031	SF0036	Education-leader evaluation and support.
14.	SEA0032	SF0056	Omnibus water bill-planning.
15.	SEA0033	SF0045	Liquor dispensing rooms.
16.	SEA0035	SF0051	Approval of water funds transfer.
17.	SEA0036	SF0015	Special district budget requirements.
18.	SEA0037	SF0126	Guides and outfitters-penalties.
19.	SEA0038	SF0133	Postmortem despoiling and disposal penalties.
20.	SEA0039	SF0154	Sex offender registration-accessories.
21.	SEJR0001	SJ0002	Federal land wind and solar energy revenue-state share.
23.	HEA0033	HB0006	Principle based reserving.
24.	HEA0034	HB0035	Sponsorship of legislation.
25.	HEA0035	HB0060	State investment policy.
26.	HEA0036	HB0070	Occupational safety and health administration actions.
27.	HEA0037	HB0195	Quebec 1 transfer.
28.	HEA0038	HB0291	Department of health facilities.
29.	HEA0039	HB0082	Local optional sales and use taxes.
30.	HEA0040	HB0038	School finance-interfund borrowing.
31.	HEA0041	HB0019	Sales from remote sellers.
32.	HEA0042	HB0086	Omnibus water bill-construction.
33.	HEA0043	HB0128	Tribal license plates.
34.	HEA0044	HB0163	Elections-recount deposits.
35.	HEA0045	HB0074	Agent Orange Health Awareness Month.
36.	HEA0046	HB0183	Security for on deposit public funds.
37.	HEA0047	HB0044	Board of professional engineers and land surveyors.
38.	HEA0048	HB0023	Secretary of state's office-amendments.
39.	HEA0049	HB0221	Nonresident employer bonding requirements.
40.	HEA0050	HB0254	Public purpose investments.
41.	HEA0051	HB0026	Bark beetle-program funding.
42.	HEA0052	HB0111	County collective accounts.
43.	HEA0053	HB0164	Professional licensing boards-telemedicine/telehealth.
44.	HEJR0001	HJ0008	Federal responsibility for American Indian health care.

Filed Under: genetic testing, governor matt mead, Senate File 31, Wyoming Legislature

Categories: Cheyenne News