Albany, NY – Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) announced that Governor Hochul has signed into law two key pieces of legislation that she authored (Chapters 671 and 554 of 2024) to help prospective parents in New York.

Ch. 671 of 2024 makes key updates to the landmark law passed by Assemblywoman Paulin and State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal in 2020 legalizing compensated gestational surrogacy agreements in New York State. This new law makes necessary updates including regarding preconception care, medical expenses associated with pregnancy, and uncompensated surrogacy agreements.

“New York’s 2020 gestational surrogacy law legalized surrogacy in our State and in doing so allowed couples with infertility issues and same-sex couples to start families. It also enacted the strongest protections in the nation for surrogates,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. “With the changes made as a result of this current bill, New York will continue to lead the nation with its model gestational surrogacy legislation. I’m so proud to have passed legislation that will help so many families.”

Ch. 554 of 2024 addresses important safety gaps in the standards for embryo storage facilities. These include ensuring that these facilities can moderate and record temperature, have an alarm notification for unwanted temperature deviations, and establish a chain of custody for specimens.

In vitro fertilization, commonly known as IVF, provides a pathway to parenthood for women and couples who otherwise would be unable to have children. Embryo storage facilities are an essential part of the IVF process for many potential parents, but, until now, NYS has not had adequate regulations or standards for these facilities.

“The regulation of embryo banks and storage facilities is critical to ensure that women’s embryos are stored safely and effectively,” said Assemblywoman Paulin. “Given the need of IVF for women seeking to get pregnant, as well as actions by some states that threaten to curtail access to IVF, it is more important now than ever to ensure New York’s storage facilities are adequately protecting embryos.”

“As more and more New Yorkers rely on assisted reproductive technologies, like IVF and gestational surrogacy, it is essential that we have the appropriate safeguards in place to ensure that those accessing these technologies do so safely and without fear of retribution,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “The two bills that Governor Hochul signed into law, sponsored my Assemblymember Paulin and me, will do just that by adding in new safety standards for facilities that store embryos (S.3230) and by clearing up technicalities impacting the implementation of our 2020 landmark Child Parent Security Act, to guarantee that gestational surrogacy is legal and accessible to New Yorkers who need it (S.5107). I’m grateful to Assemblymember Paulin, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Governor Hochul for their leadership protecting prospective parents in New York State.”

“I had fertility issues when I attempted to get pregnant with my second child, so I am well aware of the pain and suffering that is attached to wanting a child, and not being able to become pregnant,” said Paulin. “Both of these laws will allow families to avoid much of that pain by allowing families to use a surrogate in New York State and ensuring the safe storage of their embryos if they choose IVF.”

A.4921c/S.5107 and A.117a/S.3230a were passed in the Senate by State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal.