Senate sends surrogacy bills to Whitmer for signature
Bills on their way to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk would repeal Michigan’s ban on surrogate parenting contracts.
Michigan was among the vanguard of states to outlaw paid surrogacy agreements with a 1988 law and is now among a small group of states that continue to do so.
Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), one of the bill sponsors, said Michigan should join the majority of states that allow and regulate surrogacy contracts.
Rick Pluta
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Michigan Public Radio Network
“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 that Michiganders can fulfill their dreams of parenthood,” she said. “These bills not only safeguard the rights of biological parents but also prioritize the protection and the reproductive freedom of those surrogates.”
The bills allow for compensation for carrying a pregnancy and expenses such as insurance and housing. Surrogates would have to be at least 21 years old and undergo a mental health screening.
The bills were adopted on mostly party-line voters with Democrats in support and
