On Wednesday, both houses of the Alabama state legislature passed a bill that would guarantee legal protection to providers of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), following a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court which declared that frozen embryos have the same rights as unborn babies.
As reported by Just The News, Governor Kay Ivey (R-Ala.) signed the bill into law later the same day. The court’s ruling was made in February, which subsequently led to several state providers of IVF pausing further treatments. The new law is meant to protect providers from any civil or criminal challenges as a result of “damage or death of an embryo.”
The IVF debate has become more prominent on the Right, with many Republicans weighing in, including presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump. Trump took to his Truth Social account to declare that “Like the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Americans, including the VAST MAJORITY of Republicans, Conservatives, Christians, and Pro-Life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby.”
“Today, I am calling on the Alabama Legislature to act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama. The Republican Party should always be on the side of the Miracle of Life – and the side of Mothers, Fathers, and their Beautiful Babies,” he continued.
“IVF is an important part of that, and our Great Republican Party will always be with you, in your quest, for the ULTIMATE JOY IN LIFE!” Trump concluded.
The debate on IVF provides another layer to the Right’s commitment to the pro-life stance, especially following the historic decision two years ago in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade by declaring that abortion is no longer a nationwide “right.” Ever since Dobbs, the issue of abortion has been left up to the individual states to decide.