Paid Surrogacy Bill Passes Rules Committee, Final Vote Pending

On Friday, the Senate Rules Committee voted to send HB 1267, re-writing the Uniform Parentage Act and legalizing paid surrogacy, forward to the full Senate for debate. If the bill is going to be passed by the State Senate, it will happen either tonight or tomorrow. If you haven't yet contacted your senator about this bill and wish to do so, it is important that you do so right away. Even if you have, it would be good give them another reminder of the need to oppose this bill.

This bill would allow a woman to be paid to become pregnant and give up custody of her child, even if the child is biologically hers. The bill would require the women to give up the child immediately upon birth. She would have no opportunity to reconsider her decision. She could seek an abortion during pregnancy, but could not rescind the surrogacy agreement. Custody of the child would be based solely on the surrogacy contract, without any allowance for a judge to consider the best interests of the child. It is a lengthy and complicated bill with numerous problems. But if you believe that parental rights and a child’s well being is not something that should be bargained for in a financial transaction, you should oppose this bill.

Please ask your senator to oppose HB 1267. You can leave a message for your senator by calling the legislative hotline: 1-800-562-6000.