Bill > S0040

This bill aims to protect and clarify access to assistive reproductive technologies (ART) in South Carolina by establishing legal definitions and protections. The bill defines ART as medical treatments involving human eggs, sperm, and embryos outside the body to facilitate pregnancy, including procedures like in vitro fertilization, egg/embryo freezing, donation, and surrogacy. It declares a state policy of promoting equitable access to these technologies and prohibiting undue burdens on individuals seeking such treatments. The bill specifically clarifies that medical practitioners are not obligated to preserve reproductive materials but must follow medical standards if a patient chooses preservation. Importantly, the legislation explicitly states that any fertilized human egg or embryo existing outside a human body is not legally considered a person, child, or human being under any state law, which has significant implications for legal interpretations of reproductive technologies. The bill would take effect upon the Governor's approval, providing clear legal guidelines for reproductive medical practices and protecting individuals' reproductive autonomy.

Health and Social Services

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=40&session=126&summary=B