Rahul Bali
,
Meimei Xu
| WABE
February 27th, 2025
The Georgia State House passed a package of bills to protect medical procedures that help people have children.
The most high-profile bill, which passed unanimously on Thursday, would codify legal access to in vitro fertilization.
House Bill 428 is partially in response to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling last year that led to a temporary interruption of in vitro fertilization services there.
The bill’s lead sponsor, Republican State Rep. Lehman Franklin said the legislation avoids more controversial issues, like discarding embryos.
“This bill doesn’t go near it. It doesn’t go anywhere to touch it. All it does is codify it and put it in the law,” he said.
Franklin detailed how he and his wife had fertility issues and even turned to adoption, but the adoption process fell through. However, he announced he and his wife are now expecting their first child with the help of IVF, which earned him a long round of applause in the chamber.
Democratic State Rep. Esther Panitch spoke favorably about the bipartisan effort to create this legislation. Panitch shared that her daughter developed a benign tumor and will need access to fertility treatment in the future.
“I’m hopeful that the state won’t stand between me and my future grandchildren,” she said. “In Judaism, it is God’s first blessing to the world, and we see it as the very first commandment: to be fruitful and multiply.”
“Every family deserves the opportunity to bring new life into this world when they are ready,” she added.
State Rep. Park Cannon, also a Democrat, said IVF is an important way for same-sex couples and LGBTQ families to have children.
As “yes” votes for the bill poured in, Republican State Rep. Charlice Byrd initially cast a “no” before switching to a “yes,” which prompted applause among the other legislators and a hug from Franklin.
After the House passed the bill, Speaker Jon Burns said that it was “a good day to be a Georgian.”
“Under the protection of House Bill 428, every Georgian who faces the challenge of infertility will have access to IVF, which has made it possible for thousands of families to realize their dream of parenthood,” he said.
The House also unanimously passed State Rep. Scott Hilton’s bill that attempts to expand access to a different fertility procedure — artificial insemination.
“IUI or artificial insemination is typically the first step in a pregnancy journey. HB 329 streamlines the process and potentially reduces the cost of IUIs by allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to administer artificial insemination under the delegation of a physician who is physically present at the time of insemination,” Hilton said.
The House also passed a bill nearly unanimously, 162-2, to require insurance companies to cover the harvesting and storage of sperm, eggs and other materials for people whose treatments for cancer, sickle cell or lupus affect their fertility.
All three bills now go to the State Senate.
