Committee advances bill requiring LARA to investigate alleged fertility fraud, including license revocation and criminal penalties

A Michigan House Rules Committee hearing moved forward a bill aiming to give the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) authority to investigate and act on instances of fertility fraud.

Representative Roth introduced house bill 50 39 as a measure to address cases in which a fertility provider inseminated a patient with the provider’s own genetic material. "This involves doctors that have done bad things," Roth said, describing the misconduct the bill targets. The bill would require LARA to investigate such cases, and permit removal of a provider’s license where the agency finds misconduct. Roth said the measure does not replace criminal prosecution, which would remain the responsibility of the attorney general or other prosecutors.

Roth described penalties included in the bill: prison terms of five to 15 years in the most serious instances and fines up to $50,000. Representative DeBoer noted that current remedies are limited and characterized the IVF regulatory environment as the “wild wild west,” saying civil suits have often been unsuccessful.

Representative DeBoer moved to report the bill with recommendation; on the roll call the clerk announced the tally as recorded in the committee: "6 yays, 0 nays, and 3 passed," and the motion prevailed. The committee reported house bill 50 39 with recommendation.

The committee record reflects policymakers’ intent to create administrative guardrails for fertility clinics and practitioners while leaving criminal enforcement to prosecutors. The transcript does not record further detail about implementation timelines, LARA’s investigatory process, or whether licensing sanctions would be automatic upon a finding or subject to appeal procedures.