California's artificial insemination laws are about to change, thanks to legislation scribed by State Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.
The upcoming reform, which goes into effect at the dawn of the new year, enforces a new clause which negates the federal requirement that sperm must either remain in quarantine for six months or have been provided "by a man who is available to undergo repeated testing for STD's."
Skinner explains, "It removes a lot of barriers so women can become pregnant using the sperm donor of their choice."
The Chronicle cites the case of MeiBeck Scott-Chung and her partner Maya, who used a friend's sperm to become pregnant, an act that was deemed illegal at the time, granted no charges were pressed. Now that the parents wish to add another child to their family, they will no longer have to worry about any federal consequences.
"The thought of paying four to five thousand additional dollars to freeze and quarantine (his sperm) when he was right there, and especially since we'd had a baby with him...it just didn't make sense to us."
While California has amended its own state laws on the matter, national edict remains the same. Moving forward, it remains to be seen whether or not the changes gain momentum in other states.