Louisiana bill that gives legal protections to IVF providers heads to the governor's desk

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bill that protects in vitro fertilization providers from criminal charges and lawsuits has received bipartisan approval from Louisiana lawmakers and now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry for final signature.

The measure approved Wednesday was formed to avoid the situation that occurred in Alabama last year when the state’s Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law. As a result of the ruling, some IVF services — a medical procedure that helps people facing infertility get pregnant — were paused until Alabama's governor signed a law that protects them from prosecution “for the damage to or death of an embryo” during treatment.

“This is a pro-family, pro-life and pro-parent bill,” state Rep. Paula Davis, a Republican, said of the Louisiana bill during debate in the House earlier this week. “It aligns our laws with medical science and ensures that no one has to cross state lines to build a family."

The bill says doctors, health care providers, hospitals and clinics have legal protection when it comes to IVF, unless there is “criminal negligence” or “general criminal intent.” It also updates language to the state’s current IVF law, which was written in 1986.

Landry has not said whether he plans to sign the bill into law.

Louisiana is the latest state to take steps to protect access to IVF treatment.