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Four bills in the 119th Congress would reshape surrogacy nationwide, and most do not do what their titles suggest. One is sold as a background-check law but requires no background check, while adding 10 to 20 year mandatory minimums. Another is framed as targeting adversarial nations, yet voids agreements with parents from nearly every country. We break down what each bill actually says, who it would harm, and how to write your representative or senators in about 2 minutes us

Update June 30, 2026: The Supreme Court has now answered the question this article posed. In Trump v. Barbara, the Court ruled 6-3 that birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment and that Executive Order 14160 is invalid and cannot be enforced. Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion, holding that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and are c

California Senate Bill No. 729 (SB 729) is the Senate Bill that amends Health and Safety Code section 1374.55 and Insurance Code section 10119.6 to expand health insurance coverage to fertility services. It was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 29th, 2024, and has an effective date of July 1st, 2025. The new law requires certain fully insured health policies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility.

HB2683 known as the “Equality for Every Family Act” has not been enacted. This article explains what would change when the bill becomes law so that intended parents, surrogates, and agencies can plan ahead.

By Lisa Schuman, LCSW and Mark Leondires, MD About the Authors Lisa Schuman is a licensed psychotherapist and co-author of Building Your Family who directs and founded The Center for Family Building, a resource hub supporting donor conception and surrogacy journeys. She previously led mental health services at Illume Fertility and Gay Parents To Be, and testified before the New York State Senate Judiciary Committee on compensated surrogacy. She is also an award‑winning resear