Lawmakers in Louisiana still considering surrogacy birth bill

Last year, a bill was presented in Louisiana that would impact the way that surrogacy births were handled in the state by offering guidelines surrounding the process. Those who were in favor of the bill said that these guidelines did not yet exist, so there was a lot of confusion for those who wanted to have children in this fashion.

Specifically, they cited family law issues such as the fact that the rights for the new parents and the surrogate mother were not clearly defined. It was unclear how much of a right that mother had to be involved in the child’s life or if she had no rights other than those given to her by the parents who would raise the child.

On top of that, the law did not provide any guidelines that related to the rights of the child. In law cases like this, it is always important to look at a child’s rights, no matter how old it is, to make sure that they are honored along with the parents’ rights.

The bill was vetoed last year, however, by the state governor, who took the side of religious groups in Louisiana who said that there were both moral and ethical issues with the new bill.

This year, the bill has been presented for lawmakers to vote on once again. If it passes, it would go back to the governor. However, the governor has already told the other lawmakers that the bill will simply be vetoed again if it is identical to the one that was presented a year ago.

Adoption and surrogacy can be complicated. There are many people who are not exactly on the up-and-up in these matters, too. In order to ensure your interests are protected, it’s best to complete a legal, binding agreement with the other parties. The advice of an experienced family law attorney can be of great assistance as you embark on this new path in your life.

Source: WBRZ.com, “La. lawmakers revive debate over surrogacy births” Associated Press, Mar. 21, 2014