After the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization are children and entitled to the same legal rights as “unborn children‚” multiple clinics in the state suspended IVF services to consider the legal repercussions of the decision. The University of Alabama at Birmingham was the first IVF provider to announce the move. The University of Alabama at Birmingham health system is pausing all in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for fear of lawsuits and criminal prosecution following a recent ruling from the state supreme court. https://t.co/ly5TkP3bQf pic.twitter.com/FwIkNCUFBN — The Hill (@thehill) February 21‚ 2024 “We have made the impossibly difficult decision to hold new IVF treatments due to the legal risk to our clinic and our embryologists‚” Alabama Fertility Specialists announced on social media. Mobile’s Center for Reproductive Medicine‚ the clinic sued in the court case‚ announced it would pause IVF services. NBC News reports: In its statement‚ Alabama Fertility said it was trying to find solutions for affected patients and “working as hard as we can to alert our legislators as to the far reaching negative impact of this ruling on the women of Alabama.” Hannah Echols‚ a spokesperson for UAB‚ said that health system will continue to offer egg retrieval but will no longer fertilize eggs or develop embryos. “We are saddened that this will impact our patients’ attempt to have a baby through IVF‚ but we must evaluate the potential that our patients and our physicians could be prosecuted criminally or face punitive damages for following the standard of care for IVF treatments‚” Echols said in a statement. The practice of IVF involves combining sperm and eggs in a lab to create embryos‚ then implanting one or more of those embryos in a person’s uterus. Extra embryos are often frozen and stored; however‚ embryos are also frequently discarded if they have genetic abnormalities or if patients do not need to use them. Because of the Alabama Supreme Court ruling‚ IVF providers now fear they or their patients could face legal penalties if they discard any embryos. A Republican state legislator has proposed a bill to protect IVF in the state. Alabama Republican state lawmaker proposes bill to reverse IVF bill | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/2S1f5nWlI5 — WVTM 13 (@WVTM13) February 23‚ 2024 WVTM 13 reports: Republican state Sen. Tim Melson‚ who is also a doctor‚ said he is not surprised by the unintended consequences and is proposing a bill to protect IVF in the state. “We have advanced so far in medicine that we’re storing everything from embryos to sperm to eggs for future use‚” he said. “We hadn’t really thought about the consequences of that‚ and it’s time to figure that out. I’m just saying that until it’s implanted in the uterus‚ there’s potential life and that people shouldn’t be criminalized or be held harmful for things that happen. They should be held harmless‚ and I think a lot of things that‚ again‚ that happened in those clinics are for good people just wanting to have a family with a normal life and raise kids.” The bill is also gaining support from Democrats state house minority leader Anthony Daniels hopes the bill buys lawmakers some more time. “What we’re trying to do with this particular law is put the Supreme Court decision—the ruling — on pause‚” he said. “And then putting it on pause‚ we know we’re trying to clearly help folks understand that a fertilized embryo is not a child.” A change in Alabama state law might be the only way to reverse the decision. The state Supreme Court cases can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court‚ but only when they rely on the U.S. Constitution. This ruling relies heavily on the Alabama constitution. WATCH:

The Florida Senate passed legislation to release documents pertaining to a 2006 grand jury that investigated allegations against Jeffrey Epstein that he sexually assaulted underage girls. Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would sign the bill into the law. “All files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activity should be made public. While the federal government continues to stonewall accountability‚ I’m glad the Legislature has taken action to release the grand jury material from the Florida state case. I will sign the bill into law‚” DeSantis said. All files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activity should be made public. While the federal government continues to stonewall accountability‚ I’m glad the Legislature has taken action to release the grand jury material from the Florida state case. I will sign the bill… https://t.co/3VjOMMt69a — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 21‚ 2024 According to CBS News‚ the bill would go into effect July 1st with the governor’s signature. “Although a South Florida circuit judge might release the transcripts sooner as part of a lawsuit filed by the Palm Beach Post‚” the outlet noted. CBS News reports: A circuit judge determined in 2021 that the court didn’t have the authority under state law to release the records. A state appeals court disagreed last year‚ citing a state law that says grand jury records can be made public if that is a “furtherance of justice.” The appeals court ordered the lower court to review‚ redact and release the material‚ but that hasn’t happened yet. The new bill adds that records can be released if subject of the grand jury inquiry is dead or the investigation is related to sexual activity with a minor. Palm Beach County Court Clerk Joseph Abruzzo was technically a defendant in the Post’s lawsuit as his office holds the records‚ but he hasn’t fought the appeals court ruling and has previously indicated a desire to release the records in the interest of full transparency. Barry Krischer‚ who was the state attorney for Palm Beach County during Epstein’s grand jury inquiry‚ retired in 2009. “This has been my goal from the beginning‚ to find a way for the grand jury records to be released so Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and our community can get the answers they deserve‚” Abruzzo said. “Two years ago‚ I said that the Florida Legislature was the best option for the grand jury records to be released. Thanks to the Florida Legislature’s actions today‚ I am proud to deliver on my promise that I would leave no stone unturned to have these records released for full transparency to the public‚” he added Florida’s Voice added: Sen. Tina Polsky‚ D-Boca Raton‚ filed the legislation. It passed the floor unanimously‚ 37-0. At the time‚ Epstein escaped with far less severe punishment relating to allegations regarding his solicitation of minors for sexual activity. The Florida House of Representatives passed the bill last week unanimously. The House version was filed by Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman‚ R-Highland Beach. Gossett-Seidman has said that victims of Epstein deserve to know more about testimony against Epstein in the Florida case. Abruzzo shared a press conference pertaining to the bill:

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