A small article in the morning paper today.

Assisted-reproduction bill dropped

Mary Beth Schneider
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A controversial proposed bill to prohibit gays, lesbians and single people from using medical procedures to produce a child has been dropped by its legislative sponsor.
State Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis, issued a one-sentence statement Wednesday saying: "The issue has become more complex than anticipated and will be withdrawn from consideration by the Health Finance Commission."


Miller said later that the issue of regulating assisted reproduction, just as the state regulates adoption, is multifaceted. She said there was not enough time for the committee -- a panel of lawmakers that meets when the Indiana General Assembly is not in session to discuss possible legislation -- to work through all of the issues involved by its next meeting Oct. 20.
Miller had planned to ask the committee to vote at that meeting on whether to recommend the proposed bill to the full legislature when it meets in January.
Under her proposal, couples who needed assistance to become pregnant -- such as through intrauterine insemination; the use of donor eggs, embryos and sperm; in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer; or other medical means -- would have had to be married to each other.
In addition, married couples who needed donor sperm and eggs to become pregnant would have been required to go through the same rigorous assessment of their fitness to be parents as do people who adopt a child.
The proposal had drawn fire from the Indiana Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood of Indiana.


Call Star reporter Mary Beth Schneider at (317) 444-2772