Photo: David Rodriguez Muno ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
LANSING, March 20, 2024 ~ In a move to reform Michigan’s surrogacy laws, the Michigan State Senate passed a package of bills Tuesday 22-15 to reverse a ban on paid surrogacies.
Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Famrington Hills), the lead sponsor of the legislation in the State House, praised the Senate for passing the package of bills now poised for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s approval. These bills would lift the existing criminal ban on surrogacy contracts in Michigan, the only state in the country that has such a ban.
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March 20, 2024 ~ The State Senate passed a revamped law on surrogacy in Michigan, and the bill will now head to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‘s desk. The lead sponsor of the State House bill, State Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills), talks with Guy Gordon, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds about why she thinks it’s time for changes with surrogates in the state.
(CONTINUED) The legislation package contains requirements for surrogate mothers, including a 21-year-old age limit, required physical and mental health evaluations, and must already have given birth before the agreement. Safeguards for IVF and inheritance rights after a parent’s death are also included in the bills.
While advocates for the reform argue that the safeguards for the surrogacy would prevent exploitation, opponents of the bill such as Right to Life of Michigan worry that financial incentives could lead to coercion of low-income women.
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