A bill that would legalize gestational surrogacy in New York is not expected to gain a vote in the state Assembly.
Speaker Carl Heastie on Thursday acknowledged the concerns some lawmakers have raised with the bill, a measure that has been pushed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo this month.
“We always say we have a rule that we are able to have enough majority members to pass a bill,” Heastie said. “It’s not any one member who has objected.”
The bill “got dropped on us late in the session” and an agreement couldn’t be reached, Heastie said.
The state Senate earlier this month approved the measure.
The bill has been framed as a key issue for the LGBTQ community as well as infertile couples. But the measure has also stirred concerns, including from feminist Gloria Steinem, that it could lead to an exploitation of women. Supporters say there are safeguards in place to prevent that.
“Some want more time, some are just uncomfortable. People want to take a longer look at it,” Heastie said while adding, “We’re not being insensitive to people who are suffering from infertility or same sex couples who want to have children, but it’s just an issue people want to take a longer look at.”