2012 State Advocacy Efforts Page 2

• Short Description of Bill:  Missouri would not recognize Federal laws or rules requiring insurers to cover diseases including infertility or permitting the loss of embryos.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: This bill is effective upon voter approval.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs:  If you are interested in testifying in opposition to this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• 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.

• Short Description of Ballot:   A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Ballot: RESOLVE opposes this ballot.
• Current status of the Ballot in the legislative process: People are gathering signatures for petition. The deadline for the petition is June 22, 2012. They need 48,674 signatures to get the Personhood issue on the Montana ballot. They failed to meet the signature threshold. The measure will not appear on the 2012 ballot. 
• Click here to read the Ballot Initiative Language
• Local Volunteer Needs:  Become a RESOLVE Advocate.

• Short Description of Ballot: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos  (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Ballot: RESOLVE opposes this ballot.
• Current status of the Ballot in the legislative process: People are gathering signatures for petition. The deadline for the petition is June 19, 2012. They need 72,352 signatures to get the Personhood issue on the Nevada ballot. In June 2012, amendment sponsors failed to gather the signature requirements, and personhood will not appear on the 2012 ballot.
• Click here to read the Ballot Initiative Language
• Local Volunteer Needs: Become a RESOLVE Advocate

• 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 fetus as "an unborn offspring, from the embryo stage which is the end of the eighth week after conception when major structures have formed, until birth." This language is ambiguous as to whether the embryonic stage is included or excluded. If the courts later determine that the embryonic period is included, then in vitro fertilization procedures including the cryopreservation of embryos for future use would be essentially banned.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: Governor Lynch vetoed this bill on June 18. Click here to read his Veto Message.
• Read the Bill Language
• Read RESOLVE's letter to Governor Lynch asking him to not sign this bill into law.
• Local Volunteer Needs:  Become a RESOLVE Advocate

• Short Description of Bill: This bill regulates gestational carrier arrangements in New Jersey and is specifically designed to protect the interests of all parties, especially the intended offspring.  Gestational carrier arrangements are already legal in New Jersey – this bill merely clarifies the guidelines and creates a model for gestational carrier family building.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE supports this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: Bill was approved by the New Jersey Senate and Assembly on May 31. It has been sent to Governor Christie to be signed into law. Governor Christie vetoed this bill.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs:  Become a RESOLVE Advocate

• Short Description of Bill: Mandates insurance coverage for fertility preservation for those women being treated for cancer.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE supports this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 1/23/2012 Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying in support of this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• Short Description of Bill: Misleadingly called the "Ovarian Health Protection Act" this bill effectively prohibits egg donation.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 1/10/2012 Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying in opposition to this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• Short Description of Bill: This bill if passed will allow adoptees to see non-identifying medical information.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE supports this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 1/10/2012 Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying in support of this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• Short Description of Bill: This bill if passed will limit sperm donors to 10 live births and require the state to run sperm donor registry.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 01/17/2012 referred to Health Committee.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying in opposition to this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• Short Description of Ballot: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins). A ballot to establish Personhood, or when life begins.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Ballot: RESOLVE opposes this ballot.
• Current status of the Ballot in the legislative process: People are gathering signatures for petition. The deadline for the petition is July 4, 2012. They need 385,247signatures to get the Personhood issue on the Ohio ballot. As expected, Ohio’s personhood effort did not make its signature threshold by the July 4 deadline, and will not appear on the ballot in 2012.
• Click here to read the Ballot Initiative Language  
• Local Volunteer Needs: Become a RESOLVE Advocate today. 

• Short Description of Bill: A resolution to have OK citizens vote to amend the state Constitution to give legal rights (so-called "personhood") to newly fertilized microscopic embryos.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: This bill was just introduced. People are gathering signatures for petition. The deadline for the petition is June 1, 2012. They need 155,000 signatures to get the Personhood issue on the Oklahoma ballot. This bill died in committee during the 2012 session.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Read RESOLVE's Personhood Legislation Policy Statement
• Local Volunteer Needs: Become a RESOLVE Advocate today. 

• Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" bill to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: On April 19th, House Speaker Kris Steele announced at a press conference that the House Republican Caucus had decided not to take up the bill. It is now dead for the year.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Read RESOLVE's Personhood Legislation Policy Statement
• Read Fetal personhood bills a bad idea published in NewsOK.com on March 5, 2011.
• Read RESOLVE's Fact Sheet about this bill
• Read Renee Whitley's blog post: Telling Your Story - and Moving Mountains
• Local Volunteer Needs:
Become a RESOLVE Advocate today.

State: Oklahoma Bill Number: HR 2907
Added February 1, 2012

• Short Description of Bill: This bill would ban any type of compensation to egg donors in Oklahoma.
• Detailed Analysis of Bill: This bill would make any compensation to women who donate their eggs illegal. The bill also prohibits referring individuals for treatment outside of Oklahoma. This bill, if enacted, would make it impossible for infertility patients in Oklahoma to use egg donation to build their family, unless they did not compensate the donor in any manner. This is similar to a bill introduced in 2010 in Oklahoma.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: Bill was introduced on January 19 and has a “First Reading” in the House on February 6.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: Please send letters to your Oklahoma House members immediately. Click here to send a letter right now – it takes less than 5 minutes. If you are interested in testifying against this bill or can meet with your Oklahoma state legislators about this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org.

• Short Description of Ballot: A so-called "personhood" ballot to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Ballot: RESOLVE opposes this ballot.
• Current Status of the Ballot: People are gathering signatures for petition. The deadline for the petition is July 6, 2012. They need 116,000 signatures to get the Personhood issue on the Oregon ballot. Oregon's personhood initiative did not make its signature threshold and will not appear on the ballot in 2012.
• Click here to read the Ballot Initiative Language
• Local Volunteer Needs: Become a RESOLVE Advocate.

• Short Description of Bill: This is the Freedom of Conscience Bill which if passed will allow healthcare employees to refuse to do procedures in reproductive health (includes work on embryonic tissue and other work done in IVF clinics).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 1/26/12 Senate Subcommittee to review bill and hear testimony.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying in opposition to this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" bill to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: The bill was approved by the Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday, 2/14/12 by a vote of 66 to 32. On 2/23/12, the Senate Education and Health Committee allowed HB1 to pass by a vote of 8 to 7.  The Senate voted 24-14 to send the so-called “personhood” bill back to committee and carry it over to 2013. The bill has been defeated for this year.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Read RESOLVE's Personhood Legislation Policy Statement
• Read RESOLVE's Talking Points
• Read articles about Bill 
• Read RESOLVE STATEMENT: HB 1; Section 7 Virginia Personhood Bill 
• Read The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Statement 
• Read The American Society for Reproductive Medicine Statement
• Download RESOLVE's Fact Sheet to share with your Senator and others
• Local Volunteer Needs: Become a RESOLVE Advocate.

• Short Description of Bill: A bill that if passed will criminalize so-called "nontherapeutic research" involving human embryos. May prohibit or criminalize embryo cryopreservation and imposes vague restrictions that would make IVF difficult or impossible.
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 01/16/12 House: Referred to Committee on Rules.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Local Volunteer Needs: If you are interested in testifying in opposition to this bill, please contact RESOLVE at info@resolve.org. Please sign up for RESOLVE’s Action Alerts to receive updates on this Bill.

• Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" bill to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 1/9/12 By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. Failed to pass Feb 7 deadline, and didn't get carried over to special session. Finally dead for real.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Read RESOLVE's Personhood Legislation Policy Statement
• Local Volunteer Needs: Become a RESOLVE Advocate.

• Short Description of Bill: A so-called "personhood" bill to give legal rights to newly fertilized microscopic embryos  (i.e., when life begins).
• Does RESOLVE support or oppose this Bill: RESOLVE opposes this bill.
• Current status of the Bill in the legislative process: 11/16/11 Read first time and referred to committee on Homeland Security and State Affairs. Failed to pass March 15 deadline.
• Click here to read the full Bill
• Read RESOLVE's Personhood Legislation Policy Statement
• Local Volunteer Needs: 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.