A proposal to create a legal framework for surrogacy was approved by the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The bill decides who can be a surrogate, what legal rights the parents, the surrogate, and the child have, and who can utilize a surrogate.

If the bill passes, only heterosexual married couples will be able to use a surrogate. The bill also includes an age limit for surrogacy; surrogates would have to be at least 25 and no older than 35.

Prior to the drafting of this bill by Rep. Joe Lopinto, Louisiana law had few surrogacy regulations. Surrogacy was not illegal, but surrogacy contracts were not enforceable in court.

To read House Bill 187, visit www.legis.la.gov.