New Zealand working to update surrogacy laws to make process easier
The New Zealand government will amend the surrogacy law to make the process easier and less discriminatory, New Zealand Justice Minister Kiri Allan said late Tuesday.
“Surrogacy has become an established method of starting a family for people who cannot bear a child of their own. However, the laws governing surrogacy are outdated and need to change,” Allan said in a statement.
Parents must adopt a child born through surrogacy under 70 years old adoption laws.
Parliament’s Health Committee is considering the new law proposed by Labor MP Tamati Coffey and recommendations from a recent report on surrogacy legislation.
The commission is considering introducing a new procedure to establish legal parents rather than adoption, establish a birth registry for surrogacy, clarify payments associated with surrogacy and allow for international surrogacy arrangements, the statement said.
Juanita Copeland, board member of Fertility New Zealand, a non-profit organization, said the bill addresses a need for greater clarity and protection for anyone involved in surrogacy.
“It will make it easier for people to start the family they’ve always dreamed of while honoring the tremendous gift that is surrogacy,” Copeland said.
