AB 1063: Search warrants: newborn screening program.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to establish a genetic disease unit to, among other responsibilities, promote a statewide program of information, testing, and counseling services related to genetic diseases, and administer that information, testing, and counseling to each child born in the state, as specified. Existing law requires all information obtained from persons involved in hereditary disorders programs to be held strictly confidential.

Existing law sets forth the grounds and procedures for the issuance of a search warrant and authorizes the issuance of a search warrant upon specified grounds, including that the property or things to be seized consist of an item or constitute evidence that tends to show a felony has been committed or that a particular person has committed a felony.

This bill would authorize the department to release a physical blood test taken from a newborn to law enforcement in response to a search warrant only if the objective of the warrant is to obtain the DNA of a missing person suspected to be a victim of homicide, child abuse resulting in death, or manslaughter in order to compare the DNA to other samples in the Department of Justice Missing Persons DNA Database and to upload the sample for future identification of the person.

Existing law requires the department, commencing July 1, 2026, to annually generate a report to the Legislature regarding the newborn screening program, including the number of new residual screening specimens collected during the previous calendar year, until the department has provided 5 annual reports.

The bill would require the department, as part of its annual report, to report to the Legislature the number of search warrants received by and the number of disclosures granted by the department.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 2, 2026From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. January 31, 2026Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
3. March 24, 2025Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and PUB. S.
4. February 21, 2025From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
5. February 20, 2025Read first time. To print.