Bill > HB209

This bill establishes new requirements for healthcare providers offering assisted reproductive treatment, which is defined as any method of causing pregnancy other than sexual intercourse, including egg or sperm donation, embryo donation, and in vitro fertilization. It mandates that before providing such treatment, healthcare providers must obtain separate written consent from both donors for the use of their reproductive material and from recipients for the specific donor's material, ensuring this consent is "informed," meaning it's signed by the patient and attested to by the provider and a witness. The bill also requires providers to inform recipients of any misuse, misrepresentation, or errors involving the reproductive material and to report such incidents to their licensing board. Furthermore, it prohibits healthcare providers from intentionally using their own sperm or eggs without the patient's informed consent, or using a donor's material if they know or should know it was used without consent or contrary to the donor's wishes. Providers are also forbidden from misrepresenting the quality of reproductive material or any information about the donor's identity, genetics, or medical history. Violations of these provisions can lead to civil liability for damages, including costs of treatment, liquidated damages up to $50,000, compensatory damages, and attorney fees, with specific timeframes for filing lawsuits. A particularly serious violation, using a provider's own sperm or eggs without consent, is classified as a felony.