Legislative Committee 

Shane Zozula,  BS, TS(ABB)

Shane Zozula, BS, TS(ABB), remains chair of the LegCom and continues to use the talents of returning members Melanie Clemmer, PhD, HCLD(ABB), and Stanley G. Harris, ELD/TS(ABB), and new additions, Heidi M. Hausermann, M.Sc., ELD/TS(ABB), Frederick Miller, M.Sc., ELD/TS(ABB), and Ashley Wong, M.Sc., TS(ABB). We would like to thank Marlane J. Angle, PhD, HCLD/CC(ABB), Dara S. Berger, PhD, Barbara Timm, ELD/TS(ABB), and Kelly Hanshew, MT, ELD(ABB) for all of their contributions to the committee. With the assistance of previous committee members we strive to continue to keep the members of CRB informed of the many legislative developments that involve our field.

Now that the members of the LegCom have been finalized we will continue to track and inform our community of current developments on personhood, licensure, patients’ access to test reports, and other relevant topics that develop. The committee plans to create a legislative advocacy tool kit, similar to the one recently released by ASRM, but more focused on the specific needs our members must have to be successful in tracking legislation. We would like to encourage all members to track and observe any legislation that might impact our field as legislative concerns are vast and the committee small.

It is important to look not only at federal legislature and local state legislature but also that of other states as it may either impact the way you currently do business or influence your state to create similar legislature. During our last CRB board meeting, a New York bill was discussed, NY A1202/S14, which mandated any out of state entity (lab) doing testing with a NY license must meet NY state certifying standards, and they call out staff education primarily. This is a good example of how legislature outside your state may still impact you if you do business with that state.

Likewise, most of us are aware of the tabloid headlines regarding the custody battle of a Hollywood actress and the father of her remaining frozen embryos.The LegCom would like to urge each program to periodically review their policies regarding reproductive tissue use and disposition to assure alignment with State and Federal regulation, as well as the standards and guidelines published by the many organizations who oversee our field.