This week, some new laws hit the books in South Dakota. One of those now requires genetic counselors in the state to have a license to practice.

You may see a genetic counselor if you want to learn more about your risk for developing certain cancers, if you're having infertility issues or if your child is diagnosed with a genetic disease.

To become a genetic counselor, a graduate degree in medical genetics and counseling and board certification is required; a masters degree is often also obtained. But up until this week, anyone could call themselves a genetic counselor even without all that.

Because genetic disorders affect 13 million Americans, Sanford Genetic Counselor Quinn Stein says the new law establishes just who can legally call themselves a genetic counselor. And that could help with insurance coverage.

"What other professions have found is that once you're licensed, insurance companies will credential you and then patients are more likely to have their appointments with genetic counselors covered," Stein said.

Stein says the new law also helps to protect the public from poorly trained or untrained genetic counselors.