October 13th, 2005

A controversial proposed bill to prohibit gays, lesbians and single people from using medical procedures to become pregnant has been dropped by its legislative sponsor. State Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis, issued a one-sentence statement this afternoon saying: "The issue has become more complex than anticipated and will be withdrawn from consideration by the Health Finance Commission." COLAGE was outraged by this proposed legislation and its attempt to attack, discredit and legislate families. When news of the bill was made public, Beth Teper COLAGE Executive Director responded, "This bill is nothing more than an attack against children with LGBT parents and our families. Not only is government intervention of this nature into the private lives of people hoping to start a family quite frightening, but a bill of this nature is blatantly homophobic in its targeting of coupled LGBT people, as well as discriminatory against single people of all sexual orientations."

COLAGE and other LGBT organizations are prepared to fight similar proposals that may appear in the Indiana General Assembly in 2006. Miller had asked that committee -- a panel of lawmakers who meet when the Indiana General Assembly is not in session to discuss possible legislation -- to recommend the bill to the full legislature when it meets in January. Under her proposal, couples who need assistance to become pregnant -- such as through intrauterine insemination; the use of donor eggs, embryos and sperm; in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer or other medical means -- would have to be married to each other. In addition, married couples who needed donor sperm and eggs to become pregnant would be required to go through the same rigorous assessment process of their fitness to be parents as do people who adopt a child. Miller had earlier acknowledged that the legislation would be "enormously controversial."

Responding to the proposed bill, COLAGE Board of Directors member Jessie Voors, age 16 of Fort Wayne, IN commented, "[if bills like this are enacted] then many loving and valid families like mine, families all over Indiana and the world, would not be able to be created anymore, and there is no reason for that. In a great family, it doesn't matter if the parents are gay or straight or married, or purple as long as there is love within the family!"