The Center for Infertility Justice
What is The Center for Infertility Justice?
The Center is where RESOLVE brings together its advocates, supporters, partners, and like-minded organizations to effectively study, defend, and promote infertility. The goals of the Center are to promote access to care for all who need it, fight any attempts to restrict or eliminate that care, and provide research and data to support positive public policy for the infertility community. RESOLVE, the only patient advocacy group in the U.S. that fights for the rights of women and men who are infertile has seen an increasing need to bring together the community to ensure that our voices are heard. Read the Center for Infertility Justice Blog.
RESOLVE works with advocacy volunteers to ensure equal access to all family building options for men and women experiencing infertility or other reproductive disorders. In 2012, RESOLVE anticipates that there will be legislation introduced in every state that could negatively impact access to family building options. Find out what is happening in your state.
Take Action NOW!
State: Alabama Bill Number: SB 5
Updated April 30, 2012
- Short Description of Bill: SB5 would define the term “person” to include human eggs, once they are fertilized and implanted into the womb. This is a personhood bill requiring both fertilization AND implantation, which is problematic.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced in the Senate on 2/7/2012 and assigned to the Committee on Health. The first public hearing is on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. (CT)
- Click here to read the full Bill
- Read RESOLVE's Personhood Legislation Policy Statement
- Local Volunteer Needs: RESOLVE needs volunteers to attend the public hearing on May 2, 2012 and volunteers who would be willing to testify at the hearing. We are also looking for volunteers who can help out for the remainder of the legislative session. Contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org if you are opposed to this bill, have used IVF to build your family and need IVF, and would be willing to testify at hearings. Send a letter to the Health Senate Committee asking them to say NO to SB 5.
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State: Maryland Bill Number: House Bill 1041
Added February 21, 2012
- Short Description of Bill: The bill would change the current infertility insurance mandate in Maryland so that the waiting period to access coverage will go from 24 months to 12 months. This will bring the Maryland mandate in line with the current definition of infertility.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE supports this bill.
- Detailed Analysis of Bill: In Maryland, if you are diagnosed with infertility, you must wait 2 years before your insurance will cover your treatment. This bill will change the wait period from 2 years to 1 year. It is more consistent with other insurance mandates and allows patients to access the care of a specialist quicker.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The Bill has been introduced in the House of Delegates by Del. Jeff Waldstreicher. This bill will have a hearing before the House Health and Government Operations Committee on March 8. RESOLVE’s Executive Director will testify.
- Click here to read the full Bill
- Local Volunteer Needs: To send a letter immediately to your Delegate on this Committee, click here. If your District Representative is Delegate Pendergrass, please use this letter to express your support of this bill.
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State: Missouri Bill Number: HB 1580
Added February 7, 2012
- Short Description of Bill: The bill mandates insurance coverage for the treatment of infertility in the state of Missouri.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE supports this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was introduced on February 1. Will have a hearing before the House Health Insurance Committee on March 6 at 12:00 in House hearing room 5.
- Click here to read the full Bill
- Local Volunteer Needs: Send a letter today to the House Health Insurance Committee members that shows your support of this bill.
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State: New Hampshire Bill Number House Bill 217-FN
Updated May 15, 2012
- Short Description of Bill: This bill amends the first and second degree murder statutes and the negligent homicide statute to include causing the death of a fetus. The bill was amended to define “death of an unborn child” to mean from the moment of the sperm and egg coming together. This means that a fertilized egg would be an unborn child and subject to the homicide statutes.
- Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
- Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill passed the New Hampshire House and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill was amended by the Judiciary Committee to change it to reflect that a person begins at conception. The full Senate will vote on May 16.
- Click here to read the Bill Language
- Read RESOLVE’s letter sent to the New Hampshire Senate leadership stating our opposition to HB 217.
- Local Volunteer Needs: Please contact RESOLVE New England to take action on this bill.
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Federal Legislation Efforts
Family Act of 2011, S 965/ H.R. 3522
Updated: December 1, 2011
- Current status of Bill: Senator Gillibrand (NY) introduced the bill in the U.S. Senate on May 12, 2011. Co-sponsors include: Senator Akaka (HI), Senator Inouye (HI), and Senator Landrieu (LA). Representative John Lewis introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on November 30, 2011. Co-sponsors include: Representative DeLauro (CT), Representative Keating (MA), and Representative Neal (MA).
- Short Description of the Bill: A bill to create a tax credit for the out-of-pocket costs associated with infertility medical treatment has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and in the House of Representatives by Representative John Lewis (GA). Aptly named the Family Act of 2011, S 965/HR 3522, this bill will potentially help thousands of people seek medical treatment that otherwise would be out of reach for them.
- Does RESOLVE Support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE supports this Bill.
- Link to Senate Bill: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s965is/html/BILLS-112s965is.htm
- Link to House Bill: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3522ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr3522ih.pdf
- What YOU Can Do Today: Write to your Members of Congress immediately and ask them to co-sponsor the Family Act of 2011, S 965 or HR 3522.
Our goal is to get as many Members of Congress as possible to co-sponsor this bill and to seek a hearing on the bill in the appropriate Senate and House Committees. Please ask your two U.S. Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor the Family Act of 2011, S 965 or HR 3522. Please urge your family and friends around the country to send a letter as well. We need thousands of letters flooding the U.S. Senate!
- Read more about this Bill.
- Read the Infertility Tax Credit FAQs.
- Read about the Family Act of 2011 in the News
- Read the current status of this Bill.
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RESOLVE opposes all Personhood initiatives and urges all Americans to vote against any anti-family legislation as it undermines access to safe and reliable infertility medical treatments. Many states have introduced personhood bills or ballot initiatives this year. Find out more about these initiatives and how you can get involved in advocacy efforts that fight against these initiatives in your state
