Oregon Statutes 192.539 – Disclosure of genetic information; exceptions
(1) Regardless of the manner of receipt or the source of genetic information, including information received from an individual or a blood relative of the individual, a person may not disclose or be compelled, by subpoena or any other means, to disclose the identity of an individual upon whom a genetic test has been performed or the identity of a blood relative of the individual, or to disclose genetic information about the individual or a blood relative of the individual in a manner that permits identification of the individual, unless:
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 192.539
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(a) Disclosure is authorized by ORS § 181A.155 or comparable provisions of federal criminal law relating to identification of persons, or is necessary for the purpose of a criminal or death investigation, a criminal or juvenile proceeding, an inquest, or a child fatality review by a county child abuse multidisciplinary team;
(b) Disclosure is required by specific court order entered pursuant to rules adopted by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for civil actions;
(c) Disclosure is authorized by statute for the purpose of establishing parentage;
(d) Disclosure is specifically authorized by the tested individual or the tested individual’s representative by signing a consent form prescribed by rules of the Oregon Health Authority;
(e) Disclosure is for the purpose of furnishing genetic information relating to a decedent for medical diagnosis of blood relatives of the decedent; or
(f) Disclosure is for the purpose of identifying bodies.
(2) The prohibitions of this section apply to any redisclosure by any person after another person has disclosed genetic information or the identity of an individual upon whom a genetic test has been performed, or has disclosed genetic information or the identity of a blood relative of the individual.
(3) A release or publication is not a disclosure if:
(a) It involves a good faith belief by the person who caused the release or publication that the person was not in violation of this section;
(b) It is not due to willful neglect;
(c) It is corrected in the manner described in ORS § 192.541 (4);
(d) The correction with respect to genetic information is completed before the information is read or heard by a third party; and
(e) The correction with respect to DNA samples is completed before the sample is retained or genetically tested by a third party. [Formerly 659.720; 2005 c.562 § 22; 2009 c.595 § 170; 2017 c.651 § 40; 2019 c.141 § 11]
See note under 192.531.