In vitro fertilization; civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo provided to persons wh...
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SB 159 — In vitro fertilization; civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo provided to persons when providing or receiving services related to IVF
Last action — Enacted as 2024-20
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed Senate
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✓Passed House
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 07, 2024. Enacted.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Single-party support
Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).
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Mixed recorded votes
5 passed, 1 failed in recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Summary
Health
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
75 added · 39 removedPlain-language change summary
The updated version of Bill SB 159 now includes specific provisions granting legal immunity to manufacturers of goods used in the in vitro fertilization process, protecting them from lawsuits related to damage or death of an embryo. This change matters because it limits the liability of these manufacturers, potentially encouraging their participation in the market without fear of legal repercussions. Additionally, the retroactive effect of the law means it could apply to past incidents that are not currently in litigation, significantly impacting how previous cases are handled.
SB159 ENGROSSEDENROLLED SB159 V1YMPLL-2BGDWQJQ-2 By Senators Melson, Sessions, Hovey, Albritton, Givhan, Weaver, Waggoner, Roberts, Shelnutt, Carnley RFD:
27-Feb-24 Page 0 SB159 EngrossedEnrolled 2 4 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 9 Relating to in vitro fertilization;
to provide criminal immunity and damage calculations for death or damage to an embryo against manufacturers of goods used to facilitate the in vitro fertilization process;
Section 2.2.(a) Related to in vitro fertilization and Page 2 SB159 Enrolled notwithstanding any provision of law, including any cause of action provided in Chapter 5 of Title 6, Code of Alabama 1975, for the damage to or death of an embryo brought against the manufacturer of goods used to facilitate the in vitro fertilization process or the transport of stored embryos, damages shall be limited to compensatory damages calculated as the price paid for the impacted in vitro cycle.
(b) Related to in vitro fertilization and notwithstanding any provision of law, no criminal prosecution may be brought for the damage to or death of an embryo against the manufacturer of goods used to facilitate the in vitro fertilization process or the transport of stored embryos.
(c) This section is remedial in nature and is intended to apply retroactively.
Section 3.
Page 13 SB159 EngrossedEnrolled Senate________________________________________________ ReadPresident forand thePresiding firstOfficer timeof andthe referredSenate ................27-Feb-24________________________________________________ toSpeaker of the House of Representatives SB159 Senate committee29-Feb-24 onI Healthcarehereby Readcertify forthat the secondwithin timeAct andoriginated placedin ................28-Feb-24and onpassed the calendar:Senate, as amended.
0 amendments Read for the third time and passed ................29-Feb-24 as amended Yeas 34 Nays 0 Abstains 0 Patrick Harris, Secretary.
PageHouse 2of Representatives Amended and passed:
06-Mar-24 Senate concurred in House amendment 06-Mar-24 By:
Senator Melson Page 4
Amendments
5 amendments- Amendment BGDWQJQ-1 Show changes
- Health Amendment 1QXNZLZ-1 Show changes
- Amendment PFU3RER-1 Show changes
- Amendment ZNIZWWR-1 Show changes
- Amendment V1YMPLL-1 Show changes
Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.
Action History
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Delivered to Governor
Sponsors
- Tim Melson · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 139 not signed on · 14 voted No
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (139)
139 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 139 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 22 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Unaffiliated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 29 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| % of votes cast | 83% | 3% | 0% | 14% |
How each member voted (35)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Greg J. Reed | — | Yea |
| Bobby D. Singleton | D | Yea |
| Kirk Hatcher | D | Yea |
| Linda Coleman-Madison | D | Not Voting |
| Merika Coleman | D | Yea |
| Robert Stewart | D | Yea |
| Rodger M. Smitherman | D | Yea |
| Vivian Davis Figures | D | Yea |
| William M. Beasley | D | Not Voting |
| Andrew Jones | R | Yea |
| April Weaver | R | Yea |
| Arthur Orr | R | Yea |
| Chris Elliott | R | Yea |
| Clyde Chambliss | R | Yea |
| Dan Roberts | R | Yea |
| David Sessions | R | Yea |
| Donnie Chesteen | R | Yea |
| Garlan Gudger | R | Yea |
| Gerald H. Allen | R | Yea |
| Greg Albritton | R | Not Voting |
| J. T. 'Jabo' Waggoner | R | Yea |
| Jack W. Williams | R | Yea |
| Jay Hovey | R | Yea |
| Josh Carnley | R | Yea |
| Keith Kelley | R | Yea |
| Lance Bell | R | Yea |
| Larry Stutts | R | Nay |
| Randy Price | R | Yea |
| Sam Givhan | R | Yea |
| Shay Shelnutt | R | Not Voting |
| Steve Livingston | R | Yea |
| Tim Melson | R | Yea |
| Tom Butler | R | Yea |
| Wes Kitchens | R | Not Voting |
| Will Barfoot | R | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| R | 67 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| D | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Total | 81 | 10 | 0 | 12 |
| % of votes cast | 79% | 10% | 0% | 12% |
How each member voted (103)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 23 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| D | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unaffiliated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 31 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| % of votes cast | 89% | 0% | 0% | 11% |
How each member voted (35)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Greg J. Reed | — | Yea |
| Bobby D. Singleton | D | Yea |
| Kirk Hatcher | D | Yea |
| Linda Coleman-Madison | D | Yea |
| Merika Coleman | D | Yea |
| Robert Stewart | D | Yea |
| Rodger M. Smitherman | D | Yea |
| Vivian Davis Figures | D | Not Voting |
| William M. Beasley | D | Yea |
| Andrew Jones | R | Yea |
| April Weaver | R | Yea |
| Arthur Orr | R | Yea |
| Chris Elliott | R | Yea |
| Clyde Chambliss | R | Yea |
| Dan Roberts | R | Yea |
| David Sessions | R | Yea |
| Donnie Chesteen | R | Yea |
| Garlan Gudger | R | Yea |
| Gerald H. Allen | R | Yea |
| Greg Albritton | R | Not Voting |
| J. T. 'Jabo' Waggoner | R | Yea |
| Jack W. Williams | R | Yea |
| Jay Hovey | R | Yea |
| Josh Carnley | R | Yea |
| Keith Kelley | R | Yea |
| Lance Bell | R | Yea |
| Larry Stutts | R | Yea |
| Randy Price | R | Yea |
| Sam Givhan | R | Not Voting |
| Shay Shelnutt | R | Yea |
| Steve Livingston | R | Yea |
| Tim Melson | R | Yea |
| Tom Butler | R | Not Voting |
| Wes Kitchens | R | Yea |
| Will Barfoot | R | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unaffiliated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 97% | 0% | 0% | 3% |
How each member voted (35)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Greg J. Reed | — | Yea |
| Bobby D. Singleton | D | Yea |
| Kirk Hatcher | D | Yea |
| Linda Coleman-Madison | D | Yea |
| Merika Coleman | D | Yea |
| Robert Stewart | D | Yea |
| Rodger M. Smitherman | D | Yea |
| Vivian Davis Figures | D | Not Voting |
| William M. Beasley | D | Yea |
| Andrew Jones | R | Yea |
| April Weaver | R | Yea |
| Arthur Orr | R | Yea |
| Chris Elliott | R | Yea |
| Clyde Chambliss | R | Yea |
| Dan Roberts | R | Yea |
| David Sessions | R | Yea |
| Donnie Chesteen | R | Yea |
| Garlan Gudger | R | Yea |
| Gerald H. Allen | R | Yea |
| Greg Albritton | R | Yea |
| J. T. 'Jabo' Waggoner | R | Yea |
| Jack W. Williams | R | Yea |
| Jay Hovey | R | Yea |
| Josh Carnley | R | Yea |
| Keith Kelley | R | Yea |
| Lance Bell | R | Yea |
| Larry Stutts | R | Yea |
| Randy Price | R | Yea |
| Sam Givhan | R | Yea |
| Shay Shelnutt | R | Yea |
| Steve Livingston | R | Yea |
| Tim Melson | R | Yea |
| Tom Butler | R | Yea |
| Wes Kitchens | R | Yea |
| Will Barfoot | R | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Unaffiliated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 86% | 9% | 0% | 6% |
How each member voted (35)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Greg J. Reed | — | Yea |
| Bobby D. Singleton | D | Nay |
| Kirk Hatcher | D | Nay |
| Linda Coleman-Madison | D | Nay |
| Merika Coleman | D | Not Voting |
| Robert Stewart | D | Yea |
| Rodger M. Smitherman | D | Yea |
| Vivian Davis Figures | D | Not Voting |
| William M. Beasley | D | Yea |
| Andrew Jones | R | Yea |
| April Weaver | R | Yea |
| Arthur Orr | R | Yea |
| Chris Elliott | R | Yea |
| Clyde Chambliss | R | Yea |
| Dan Roberts | R | Yea |
| David Sessions | R | Yea |
| Donnie Chesteen | R | Yea |
| Garlan Gudger | R | Yea |
| Gerald H. Allen | R | Yea |
| Greg Albritton | R | Yea |
| J. T. 'Jabo' Waggoner | R | Yea |
| Jack W. Williams | R | Yea |
| Jay Hovey | R | Yea |
| Josh Carnley | R | Yea |
| Keith Kelley | R | Yea |
| Lance Bell | R | Yea |
| Larry Stutts | R | Yea |
| Randy Price | R | Yea |
| Sam Givhan | R | Yea |
| Shay Shelnutt | R | Yea |
| Steve Livingston | R | Yea |
| Tim Melson | R | Yea |
| Tom Butler | R | Yea |
| Wes Kitchens | R | Yea |
| Will Barfoot | R | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| D | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unaffiliated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 32 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| % of votes cast | 91% | 0% | 0% | 9% |
How each member voted (35)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Greg J. Reed | — | Yea |
| Bobby D. Singleton | D | Yea |
| Kirk Hatcher | D | Yea |
| Linda Coleman-Madison | D | Yea |
| Merika Coleman | D | Yea |
| Robert Stewart | D | Yea |
| Rodger M. Smitherman | D | Yea |
| Vivian Davis Figures | D | Not Voting |
| William M. Beasley | D | Yea |
| Andrew Jones | R | Yea |
| April Weaver | R | Yea |
| Arthur Orr | R | Yea |
| Chris Elliott | R | Yea |
| Clyde Chambliss | R | Yea |
| Dan Roberts | R | Yea |
| David Sessions | R | Yea |
| Donnie Chesteen | R | Yea |
| Garlan Gudger | R | Not Voting |
| Gerald H. Allen | R | Yea |
| Greg Albritton | R | Not Voting |
| J. T. 'Jabo' Waggoner | R | Yea |
| Jack W. Williams | R | Yea |
| Jay Hovey | R | Yea |
| Josh Carnley | R | Yea |
| Keith Kelley | R | Yea |
| Lance Bell | R | Yea |
| Larry Stutts | R | Yea |
| Randy Price | R | Yea |
| Sam Givhan | R | Yea |
| Shay Shelnutt | R | Yea |
| Steve Livingston | R | Yea |
| Tim Melson | R | Yea |
| Tom Butler | R | Yea |
| Wes Kitchens | R | Yea |
| Will Barfoot | R | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 159 do?
- Health
- Who sponsors SB 159?
- SB 159 is sponsored by Tim Melson (R).
- What is the current status of SB 159?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 07, 2024. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 159?
- Track SB 159 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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