UPDATE: On June 9, 2026, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill No. 836 in a 147-55 vote. The Bill now moves on to the State Senate for consideration.
Below, KingSpry’s Adoption and ART Practice Chair and Family Law Attorney, Dorota Gasienica-Kozak, Esq., reviews House Bill No. 836 and discusses how it will ensure access to assisted reproductive technology for prospective parents.
In their sponsor memorandum, Representatives O’Mara, Mayes, Malagari, and Khan note that many people facing fertility issues across the country are now facing a new challenge, “the potential loss of access to fertility treatments.” The PARENT Act intends to protect prospective parents’ access to fertility treatments in Pennsylvania.
Under the Act, assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes “all treatments or laboratory procedures that involve the handling of human oocytes or embryos for the purpose of achieving pregnancy.” Those treatments and procedures include, but are not limited to, in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT).
The bill specifically prohibits the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from interfering with the use of medically appropriate methods of ART or the manner in which ART is provided to individuals.
Any Pennsylvania law enacted after the effective date of the PARENT Act will be subject to that prohibition, unless expressly excluded.
The bill awaits passage by the Pennsylvania Senate and signature by Governor Shapiro. If enacted, the PARENT Act will take effect immediately.
If you have questions regarding assisted reproductive technology, KingSpry’s ART Law Group Chair, Dorota Gasienica-Kozak, Esq., is prepared to assist you. Gasienica-Kozak is a fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), a member of SEEDS, a promoter for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, and a committee member of the American Bar Association’s Family and ART Law sections.
