Sponsors (15)
The bill gives families stronger federal criminal remedies and extended time to seek accountability for misrepresented donor DNA across state lines, but in doing so federalizes aspects of reproductive care and creates legal uncertainty, greater liability and costs for providers, and potential civil‑liberties risks.
Parents and intended parents who discover that donor gamete or embryo genetic identity was misrepresented gain a federal criminal remedy and can seek accountability even if identification occurs years later (statute of limitations tolled up to 10 years after DNA ID).
Families affected by cross‑state or interstate misrepresentation of reproductive DNA benefit because federal prosecutors can pursue cases that cross state lines, making it easier to obtain justice when clinics, donors, or materials move between states.
State regulators, fertility clinics, and patients face federalization of conduct normally regulated at the state/medical-board level, creating legal uncertainty about which rules apply and potentially displacing state authority over reproductive care.
Fertility clinics, donors, and medical staff could face substantial new federal criminal exposure (and possible RICO liability), raising legal costs, insurance premiums, and potentially increasing the price or reducing availability of assisted‑reproduction services.
Criminalizing 'knowingly misrepresenting' DNA and using broad interstate-jurisdiction language risks contested prosecutions where intent is hard to prove, creating burdensome, high‑stakes litigation for both alleged victims and defendants and raising civil‑liberties concerns.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal felony for knowingly misrepresenting DNA used in assisted reproduction, adds a 10-year prosecution toll after identification, and makes it a RICO predicate.
Creates a new federal crime for knowingly misrepresenting the nature or source of DNA used in assisted reproductive technology or insemination, punishable by fines and up to 10 years in prison when specified interstate or territorial jurisdictional conditions are met. It adds this offense to the federal racketeering (RICO) definition and provides a 10-year tolling rule that allows prosecution within 10 years after DNA testing identifies the offender.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize abuse with respect to assisted reproductive technology.
Introduced April 15, 2026 by Stephanie I. Bice · Last progress April 15, 2026