AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 13, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 18, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

Introduced by Assembly Member Berman

February 11, 2026

An act to add Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 24200) to Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to gene synthesis.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to establish an advisory committee to advise the Legislature and the Governor on human cloning and other issues relating to human biotechnology. Existing law requires the California State University, and requests the University of California, to develop systemwide guidance for purchasing gene synthesis equipment or gene synthesis products from gene synthesis providers who prevent the misuse of synthetic genes and safeguard the benefits of gene synthesis technology while minimizing risk, as specified.

This bill would prohibit a manufacturer of benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment, as defined, from producing equipment in this state or selling or delivering that equipment to a customer in this state unless the manufacturer adheres to the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening issued by the Fast Track Action Committee on Synthetic Nucleic Acid Procurement Screening of the National Science and Technology Council, as revised in September 2024, with respect to that equipment, attests that they comply with the framework with respect to that equipment, and posts that attestation on a public internet website, and would prohibit a provider of specified synthetic nucleic acids from producing those nucleic acids in this state or selling or delivering those nucleic acids to a customer in this state unless the provider adheres to the framework described above with respect to those nucleic acids. acids, attests to complying with the framework with respect to those nucleic acids, and posts that attestation on a public internet website. The bill would make a violation of the prohibitions described above subject to a civil penalty in an amount dependent on the severity of the violation that does not exceed $1,000 $5,000 per day that the violation continues. The bill would make related findings and declarations.

This bill would provide that the provisions of this bill are severable.

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

SECTION 1.

The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(a) The state has a strong interest in protecting the residents of California from biohazards caused by reckless or malicious individuals with access to dangerous nucleic acids synthesized by benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment or ordered from commercial gene synthesis providers, and providers and manufacturers must take due care in order to avoid creating unreasonable risks of serious injury.

(b) In 2023, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy initiated an interagency process for the development of a framework “to encourage providers of synthetic nucleic acid sequences to implement comprehensive, scalable, and verifiable synthetic nucleic acid procurement screening mechanisms, including standards and recommended incentives,” resulting in the issuance by the National Science and Technology Council’s Fast Track Action Committee on Synthetic Nucleic Acid Procurement Screening of the Framework For Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening, revised as of September 2024 (the framework). It is in the interest of all Californians that all synthesis providers and manufacturers operating in the state adhere to the framework.

SEC. 2.

Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 24200) is added to Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

Chapter 1.5. Gene Synthesis Screening

24200.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment” has the same meaning as defined in the framework.

(b) “Customer” has the same meaning as defined in the framework.

(c) (1) “Framework” means the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening issued by the Fast Track Action Committee on Synthetic Nucleic Acid Procurement Screening of the National Science and Technology Council, as revised in September 2024.

(2) For the purposes of this chapter, the version of the framework described in this subdivision is the sole operative version. Any subsequent revision, supplement, or successor to the framework that is issued by a federal entity shall not modify or be incorporated into the meaning of “framework” as defined in this section unless the Legislature expressly amends the meaning of “framework.”

(d) “Manufacturer” has the same meaning as defined in the framework.

(e) “Provider” has the same meaning as defined in the framework.

(f) “Synthetic nucleic acids subject to screening” has the same meaning as defined in the framework.

24201.

(a) A manufacturer shall not produce benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment in this state or sell or deliver benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment to a customer in this state unless the manufacturer adheres to the framework with respect to the produced, sold, or delivered equipment. does both of the following:

(b) A provider shall not produce synthetic nucleic acids subject to screening in this state or sell or deliver synthetic nucleic acids subject to screening to a customer in this state unless the provider adheres to the framework with respect to the produced, sold, or delivered nucleic acids. does both of the following:

(c) (1) For the purposes of this section, if the framework uses the term “should,” it is a requirement for a provider or manufacturer.

(2) For the purposes of this section, if the framework uses the term “encouraged,” it is a recommendation, but not a requirement, for a provider or manufacturer.

24202.

(a) A manufacturer or provider that violates this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount dependent on the severity of the violation that does not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day that the violation continues.

(b) A civil penalty assessed pursuant to this section shall be recovered in a civil action brought only by the Attorney General.

24203.

This chapter does not regulate the activities of a customer that is not a provider or a manufacturer, including, but not limited to, activities related to medical or pharmaceutical research and development or manufacturing, drug screening assays, reagent production, tests employed in preclinical and clinical studies, manufacturing of biologics, gene therapy, and RNA therapeutics. This section does not exempt a person from this chapter with respect to that person’s activities as a provider or manufacturer as defined in Section 24200.

24204.

The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.