Senate hears privacy bill expanding protections for DNA and emerging 'neurodata'; sponsor seeks refinements

Senator Daniel Zolnikov introduced Senate Bill 163, saying the measure combines cleanup to last session’s genetic‑data law with new protections and definitions for neurotechnology data. Zolnikov told the committee the bill affirms Montanans’ rights over DNA and related biologic data and adds a waiver process to allow informed participation in clinical research.

The sponsor described several implementation details: consent and deletion rights, a 14‑day waiting period for a waiver obtained after initial sample collection, and a requirement that privacy notices and the waiver be presented separately from other forms. Zolnikov said the bill would permit a resident to waive deletion in order to participate in a clinical trial, and that genetic or neural data collected…