AB 1063: Search warrants: newborn screening program.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified February 3, 2026

What AB 1063 does, verified February 3, 2026

This bill aims to amend the existing newborn screening program in California. The program is administered by the state department of public health, which is required to establish a genetic disease unit to promote information, testing, and counseling services related to genetic diseases. The department is also responsible for administering these services to each child born in the state. The bill introduces a new provision that allows the department to release physical blood tests taken from newborns to law enforcement in response to a search warrant. However, this release is only permitted 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. The DNA would be compared to other samples in the department of justice's missing persons DNA database and uploaded for future identification.…

Bill journey

✓IntroducedComplete

2In CommitteeCurrent

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Diane DixonAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions5 total · showing 5

Feb. 02, 2026	From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Jan. 31, 2026	Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
Mar. 24, 2025	Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and PUB. S.
Feb. 21, 2025	From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
Feb. 20, 2025	Read first time. To print.

Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 20, 2025 · 765 words

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1063

Introduced by Assembly Member Dixon

February 20, 2025

An act to amend Section 125010 of, and to add Section 125003 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1063, as introduced, Dixon. Search warrants: newborn screening program.

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.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 125003 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

125003.

(a) The department may 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.

(b) Law enforcement shall not request or obtain a search warrant for the physical blood test taken from a newborn for any reason not described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, for any of the following purposes:

(1) To determine whether a person is a suspect in a crime.

(2) To create a DNA database of suspects or nonsuspects.

(3) To establish the guilt of a person.

SEC. 2.

Section 125010 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

125010.

Commencing July 1, 2026, and each July 1 thereafter, the State Department of Public Health shall generate a report that includes each of the following:

(a) The total number of any residual screening specimens stored by the California Biobank Program.

(b) The number of new residual screening specimens collected during the previous calendar year.

(d) The number of projects utilizing specimens from the California Biobank Program.

(e) The number of published research studies where biospecimens from the California Biobank Program were used or referenced and the potential public health benefits from the research.

(f) The number of specimens provided by the California Biobank Program for each research project.

(g) The number of screening tests waived for religious purposes during the previous calendar year.

(h) The number of residual screening specimens destroyed at the request of a parent or adult during the previous calendar year.

(i) The number of residual screening samples remaining to be destroyed at the request of a parent or adult during the previous calendar year.

(j) The number of search warrants received by the California Biobank Program during the previous calendar year as described in Section 125003.
(k) The number of disclosures granted by the California Biobank Program pursuant to a search warrant during the previous calendar year as described in Section 125003.

Text of AB 1063 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions