Bill > SB968

This bill establishes a comprehensive legal framework for gestational carrier agreements in Pennsylvania, creating new regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of children born through these arrangements. The legislation requires extensive background checks for intended parents, gestational carriers, and adult household members, including criminal history checks, child abuse clearances, and sex offender registry checks, both for in-state and out-of-state participants. The bill defines key terms like "gestational carrier" (a woman who agrees to carry a pregnancy for intended parents) and "intended parent" (an individual seeking legal parental recognition), and establishes a rigorous court review process for approving these agreements. Courts are given authority to deny parentage petitions based on disqualifying offenses, impose conditions for child welfare, and even require temporary safe placement of children if background checks are not completed. The legislation imposes significant penalties for non-compliance, including civil fines up to $10,000, potential criminal charges for submitting false documentation, and the possibility of voiding gestational carrier agreements or withholding parentage recognition. The bill aims to protect children by ensuring comprehensive vetting of individuals involved in gestational carrier arrangements, with provisions for both domestic and international scenarios, and will take effect 180 days after passage.

Justice

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=968