A Model for State Policy on Genetic Testing/Screening

The New York State Task Force on Life and the Law will analyze the appropriate role for state government in issues of genetics policy, identify specific issues involving genetic testing and screening most suited to legislation or regulation at the state level, and devise concrete recommendations for legislation and/or regulation to serve as a model for adoption by states nationwide. The project will be carried out by the Task Force's standing membership, which includes prominent physicians, nurses, bioethicists, lawyers, community advocates, and religious leaders, in conjunction with the Task Force's professional staff and a diverse group of specialist consultants. A Working Group, made up of selected Task Force members and consultants, will identify the issues raised by developments in genetic testing and screening most in need of prompt attention by state lawmakers and policy makers. In a series of meetings, the Task Force members and consultants will determine the goals that policy in these areas should seek to achieve, analyze the range of policy vehicles available to realize those goals, and formulate specific recommendations for state legislation and regulation.