|
(Indianapolis, Indiana) A
proposed bill that would prohibit gays, lesbians and single
people in Indiana from using medical science to assist them in
having a child has been dropped by its legislative sponsor.
State Sen. Patricia Miller,
R-Indianapolis, issued a one-sentence statement late Wednesday
about her decision to drop the proposal.
"The issue has become more
complex than anticipated and will be withdrawn from
consideration by the Health Finance Commission," she
said.
Miller said earlier this week
that state law does not have regulations on assisted
reproduction and should have similar requirements to adoption
in Indiana. (story)
But Betty Cockrum, president
and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana called it government
intrusion.
"It feels pretty
chilling," Cockrum said.
Miller acknowledged when she
proposed it that the legislation would be "enormously
controversial."
Miller is chairwoman of the
Health Finance Commission, a panel of lawmakers that was to
vote Oct. 20 on whether to recommend the legislation to the
full General Assembly.
The bill defined assisted
reproduction as causing pregnancy by means other than sexual
intercourse, including intrauterine insemination, donation of
an egg, donation of an embryo, in vitro fertilization and
transfer of an embryo, and sperm injection.
It then required "intended
parents" to be married to each other and says an
unmarried person may not be an intended parent.
A doctor could not begin an
assisted reproduction technology procedure that may result in
a child being born until the intended parents have received a
certificate of satisfactory completion of an assessment
required under the bill. The assessment is similar to what is
required for infant adoption and would be conducted by a
licensed child placing agency in Indiana.
The required information
includes the fertility history of the parents, education and
employment information, personality descriptions, verification
of marital status, child care plans and criminal history
checks. Description of the family lifestyle of the intended
parents also is required, including participation in
faith-based or church activities.
©365Gay.com 2005
|
