SB 169 - Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos; unlawful for any person to knowingly create an in vitro human embryo by any means

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Committees

Current Status

03/18/09 - House Second Readers

First Reader Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the parent and child relationship generally, so as to provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide that it shall be unlawful for any person or entity to intentionally or knowingly create or attempt to create an in vitro human embryo by any means other than fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm; to provide for standards for physicians and facilities performing in vitro fertilizations; to provide for judicial standards; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Votes

Electronically Recorded Votes
DateTimeVote NoYeasNaysNVExcDescription
03/12/20094:13PMSenate Vote #211030026000000MOTION TO TABLE
03/12/20096:40PMSenate Vote #216034022000000PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE

Status History

Bill History
DateAction
02/18/2009Senate Read and Referred
03/09/2009Senate Committee Favorably Reported
03/10/2009Senate Read Second Time
03/12/2009Senate Third Read
03/12/2009Senate Tabled
03/12/2009Senate Taken from Table
03/12/2009Senate Passed/Adopted
03/17/2009House First Readers
03/18/2009House Second Readers

Footnotes

3/12/2009 Tabled in Senate
3/12/2009 Taken from Table in Senate
09 SB169/CSFA/2
Senate Bill 169
By: Senators Hudgens of the 47th, Williams of the 19th, Rogers of the 21st, Thomas of the 54th, Shafer of the 48th and others

AS PASSED SENATE

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT


To amend Chapter 7 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, so as to provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide that it shall be unlawful for any person or entity to intentionally or knowingly create or attempt to create an in vitro human embryo by any means other than fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm or intracytoplasmic sperm injection; to provide that there is no prohibition as to the use of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS cells); to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos Act."

SECTION 2.
Chapter 7 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, related to the creation of human embryos generally, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:

"ARTICLE 4

19-7-60.
For purposes of this article, the term:
(1) 'Donor' means an individual from whose body gametes were obtained, or an individual from whose body cells or tissues were obtained for the purpose of creating gametes or human embryos, whether for valuable consideration or not.
(2) 'Gamete' means an egg (oocyte) or sperm.
(3) 'Human embryo' means an organism with a human or significantly human genetic constitution from the single-celled stage to approximately eight weeks development that is derived by fertilization (in vitro or in utero), parthenogenesis, cloning (somatic cell nuclear transfer), or any other means from one or more human gametes or human diploid cells.
(4) 'Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS cells)' means human cell reprogramming, other than a gamete, by the addition of human genes plus or minus chemicals.
(5) 'In vitro' means outside the human body.
(6) 'In vitro fertilization' means the formation of a human embryo outside the human body by union of human egg(s) with human sperm.
(7) 'In vitro human embryo' means a human embryo created outside the human body.
(8) 'Transfer' means the placement of a human embryo into the uterus of the human female.

19-7-61.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to intentionally or knowingly create or attempt to create an in vitro human embryo by any means other than fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection of a human egg by a human sperm.
(b) The creation of an in vitro human embryo shall be solely for the purposes of initiating a human pregnancy by means of transfer to the uterus of a human female for the treatment of human infertility or cryopreservation for such treatment in the future. No person or entity shall intentionally or knowingly transfer or attempt to transfer an embryo into a human uterus that is not the product of fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm.

19-7-62.
Nothing in this article shall prohibit or otherwise impede the use of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS cells)."

SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.