Assembly Bill 673 aims to prohibit the use of genetic software and devices produced by foreign adversaries in medical and research facilities within Wisconsin. Specifically, it bans the use of genetic sequencers and operational or research software for genetic analysis that are produced by entities from countries identified as foreign adversaries, which currently include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela. The bill defines medical and research facilities as those that receive state funding and conduct genetic analysis or research related to the human genome. Additionally, it mandates that no human genome sequencing data of Wisconsin residents can be stored within the borders of a foreign adversary, ensuring that such data remains inaccessible to individuals in those countries.

The enforcement of this bill will be managed by the attorney general, who is authorized to investigate violations and can impose a forfeiture of $10,000 for each infraction related to the use of prohibited devices or the storage of human genome data. The bill also clarifies that these restrictions do not apply to data collected during clinical trials or biomedical research studies that comply with federal regulations. Overall, Assembly Bill 673 seeks to safeguard sensitive genetic information from potential foreign threats while establishing clear penalties for non-compliance.