AB 1063: Search warrants: newborn screening program.

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.…