I rise today in support of the legislation before us, known as the Michigan family protection act. Having a baby and starting a family is part of the dream for so many individuals. During our committee hearings on this bill package, we heard powerful, emotional testimony from Michigan families who have used assisted reproductive methods, as well as several surrogates who have shared their beautiful journeys with us and expressed their support. We’ve heard about experiences filled with countless frustrating unnecessary hurdles that Michigan law has put before too many families. From enduring lengthy home studies to undergoing mandatory fingerprinting and criminal background checks in order to adopt the baby that was always intended to be theirs, parents have had to overcome so many obstacles simply for using assisted fertility.
These bills remove these barriers and ensure parents who utilize IVF or surrogacy to have children are treated with the same respect, dignity, and care as any other parent. These bills not only safeguard the rights of biological parents but also prioritize the protection and the reproductive freedom of those surrogates. The process is thorough, and this bill package will be a model for the country. The family protection act requires a thorough screening process for surrogates to ensure their mental, physical, and overall wellbeing are sound. This will involve several appointments with counselors—trained professionals. Opponents have raised false narratives around trafficking; I want to remind everyone that we have laws against human trafficking in Michigan, and will continue to prosecute traffickers. This bill package does not change that. These bills protect the surrogate’s right to make all health and welfare decisions concerning the pregnancy. It ensure independent legal representation for both parties. Furthermore, these bills grant parties the opportunity to negotiate a fair, comprehensive, and enforceable contract, ensuring the needs of the baby, surrogate, and adoptive or intended parents are addressed.
Michigan residents desire the freedom to utilize assisted reproductive methods. We heard loud and clear from Michigan moms and parents who want this process to work in Michigan. But despite the availability of technology, our current laws lag behind the rest of the nation, remaining outdated and antiquated. These bills are not about policing who wants to be a parent or how they met their surrogate. These bills are definitely not about cloning. These bills are not about exploitation. These bills are about promoting families and they’re about the freedom of individuals to have choices. It’s time to update our laws in Michigan and bring them in line with modern technology and practices as well as our compassion for families of all types ensuring Michiganders can fulfill their dreams of parenthood.
I want to thank Representative Steckloff for her courageous leadership on this bill package as well as all those who have bravely shared their stories publicly. Today is a good day for Michigan parents, babies, and families. I encourage your “yes” vote on this historic bill package.
Senator Brinks’ statement is as follows:
Mr. President, the vote we are about to take represents years of hard work and dedication to helping people become parents and expand their families. I want to thank the Representative from the 19th House District—Representative Steckloff—for carrying this torch and for all those who drafted bills, testified, shared deeply personal stories on this important issue. People like Tammy and Jordan Myers, constituents of mine who bravely took their story to the national stage. Tammy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. The extent of her treatment meant that she would be unable to carry more children. That could have been the end of Tammy’s hopes to have more biological children, but thanks to incredible medical technology and a wonderful surrogate, her twins Eames and Ellison were born in 2021. That should have been the happy finale to their story. But what was awaiting the Myers family was months of legal battles which culminated in them having to adopt their own children. There’s no good reason to continue subjecting families in our communities to this kind of stress and unnecessary legal hoops. There’s no good reason why parents like Tammy and Jordan should have to adopt their own babies.
The vote we’re about to take feels like a long time coming for many of us in this room, but that wait has felt ten times longer for those who desire laws that honor and acknowledge their path to becoming a family. It is well past the time that our laws reflect the advances in assisted reproductive technology that allow Michiganders to have the freedom of fulfilling their dreams of becoming parents and growing their families through surrogacy. I look forward to voting “yes” on these bills and I encourage your “yes” vote.
The following bill was read a third time:
House Bill No. 5208, entitled
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled “Public health code,” by amending sections 2822, 2824, 2831, 2832, and 2891 (MCL 333.2822, 333.2824, 333.2831, 333.2832, and 333.2891), section 2822 as amended by 2017 PA 142, sections 2824, 2831, and 2832 as amended by 1996 PA 307, and section 2891 as amended by 2020 PA 209.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: