Senate Bill 649
Banning the use of genetic software from foreign adversaries in medical and research facilities, the storage of any human genome sequencing data within the borders of a foreign adversary, and providing a penalty. (FE)
Topics: Attorney General, Data processing, Genetics and genetic testing, Hospitals and health care facilities, International relations, Medical education
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Nov 14, 2025
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It sat with the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 673. That version was vetoed.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill prohibits any medical facility or research facility in this state from using a genetic sequencer used for genetic analysis or operational or research software used for genetic analysis that is produced in or by a foreign adversary, a company organized within the borders of a country that is a foreign adversary, or an owned or controlled subsidiary or affiliate of a company domiciled within the borders of a country that is a foreign adversary. Under the bill, “foreign adversary” means a person determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce to be a foreign adversary of the United States. Those countries currently include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela under the regime of Nicolás Maduro. The bill provides that “operational or research software” means computer programs used for the operation, control, analysis, or other necessary functions of genetic analysis or genetic sequencers. Under the bill, a “genetic sequencer” is any device or platform used to conduct genetic analysis, resequencing, isolation, or other genetic research.
The bill provides that a “medical facility” is a facility for the delivery of health services that receives state moneys, including interagency pass-through appropriations from the federal government, and conducts research or testing on or relating to genetic analysis or the human genome. Similarly, under the bill, a “research facility” is a facility that receives state moneys, including interagency pass-through appropriations from the federal government, and conducts research on or relating to genetic analysis or the human genome.
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Under the bill, no medical facility, research facility, company, or nonprofit organization may store any human genome sequencing data of a resident of this state at a location within the borders of a foreign adversary, and each medical facility, research facility, company, or nonprofit organization must ensure that such data is inaccessible to any person located within the borders of a foreign adversary. The bill provides that these requirements do not apply to the storage of human genome sequencing data that is collected as part of clinical trials or other biomedical research studies subject to, or conducted in accordance with, certain federal regulations relating to protection of sensitive personal and government-related data.
The bill provides for enforcement by the attorney general and allows the attorney general to investigate allegations of a violation. Any person may notify the attorney general of a violation or potential violation. Under the bill, a person must forfeit $10,000 for each violation of genetic sequencing with a prohibited device or prohibited storage of human genome sequencing data. The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state to collect any forfeiture imposed for a violation.
Who's behind it
4 senators are its . All 4 are Republicans.
14 more lawmakers .
See all 18 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Patrick Testin · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (14)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Calvin Callahan · Republican, Assembly
- Alex Dallman · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Tony Kurtz · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Adam Neylon · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jan 27, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 21, 2026
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Dec 16, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 21, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 14, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
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Nov 14, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Testin, Jacque, Nass and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Moses, Dallman, Callahan, Kreibich, Kurtz, Piwowarczyk, Mursau, Neylon, Dittrich, Knodl, Green, Behnke and Brill
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
- Nov 21, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Dec 16, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor
- Jan 27, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate