Georgia’s 2025 legislative session delivered unprecedented victories for families building through adoption and assisted reproductive technologies. Four major bills passed with bipartisan support, fundamentally transforming how Georgia families access adoption records, secure fertility treatments, and protect their parental rights. These aren’t incremental policy adjustments – they represent the most significant advancement in family protection laws our state has seen in generations.
For adult adoptees, the wait to access their own birth certificates has finally ended after 64 years. For families facing cancer or other serious illnesses, fertility preservation is now covered by insurance instead of requiring out-of-pocket costs that often exceeded $10,000. For IVF families, legal protections are now explicit rather than ambiguous. Together, these changes position Georgia as a leader in family-friendly legislation at a time when other states are moving in the opposite direction.
If you’re building a family in Georgia – whether through adoption, surrogacy, or assisted reproductive technologies – understanding these legislative victories helps you take full advantage of your expanded rights and protections.
The 60-Year Wait Ends: Andee’s Law Restores Basic Rights
Andee’s Law, officially known as SB 100, corrected a historical injustice that had persisted since 1961. That year, Georgia began requiring adult adoptees to hire attorneys and petition courts just to access their own birth certificates – turning a basic civil right into an expensive legal proceeding.
The financial burden was significant. Before July 1st, 2025, our firm regularly helped adoptees navigate this process, with legal fees typically ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. The waiting period often stretched four to six months, assuming no complications arose. For working families, these costs and delays created an insurmountable barrier to accessing their own personal history.
Now, adult adoptees aged 18 and older can request their original birth certificates directly from the Georgia Department of Public Health. The fee is approximately $25. The waiting time is usually only a few weeks.
The legislative support was remarkable. The Georgia House approved the bill 145-14, and the Senate passed it unanimously through committee and on the floor. In our current political climate, finding that level of agreement on anything related to family rights feels almost unprecedented.
The Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights (GAAR), founded in 2020 by Courtney Humbaugh and Jamie Weiss, led the grassroots advocacy effort that made this legislation possible. Their persistent work, built on decades of previous efforts, finally broke through. Our firm also contributed to this legislative victory, with partner Lila Bradley working alongside legislators to help bring Andee’s Law to passage. Partner Bradley attended the bill signing with Governor Kemp, representing the legal community’s commitment to restoring adoptee rights.
[IMAGE: Photo of Lila Bradley at the SB 100 bill signing with Governor Brian Kemp and other advocates] Caption: Partner Lila Bradley (second from left) at the signing of SB 100 (Andee’s Law) with Governor Brian Kemp, celebrating the restoration of adoptee birth certificate rights in Georgia.
This collaboration between grassroots advocates, legal professionals, and legislative leaders demonstrates how sustained, bipartisan effort can correct historical injustices.
The important caveat: Birth certificates provide vital information, but they don’t tell the complete story. Court adoption records, social histories, and Department of Human Services files remain sealed and require legal assistance to access. Many adoptees discover that while their birth certificate answers some questions, it raises others that only complete adoption records can address.
Breaking Financial Barriers: Insurance Coverage for Fertility Preservation
While Andee’s Law grabbed headlines, another victory was quietly transforming lives across Georgia. House Bill 94 might sound technical, but its impact is deeply personal for thousands of families facing medical crises.
Before 2025, cancer patients in Georgia faced a cruel choice. Treatment could save their lives but destroy their fertility. Preserving eggs or sperm before chemotherapy or radiation could cost thousands of dollars – money most families didn’t have during an already devastating time.
Lynn Goldman, a partner at our firm, chairs the Georgia Fertility Network, which made HB 94 a priority and worked with legislators to advance this critical legislation. The bill requires insurance companies to cover fertility preservation for patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, or lupus – conditions where medical treatment can damage reproductive capacity.
The Georgia Fertility Network didn’t just advocate for this bill; they helped write it and worked directly with legislators to ensure the language was clear and comprehensive. The result? Georgia families now save thousands of dollars on fertility preservation, removing a financial barrier at the worst possible time in their lives.
This isn’t just good policy – it’s good economics. When families can preserve fertility before medical treatment, they’re more likely to build families later through natural conception rather than more expensive interventions. The upfront insurance investment often saves money long-term.
Securing IVF Access When Others Wavered
The Alabama Supreme Court decision in February 2024 sent shockwaves through the fertility world. Overnight, IVF treatments stopped in Alabama as clinics feared legal liability. Families with embryos ready for transfer found themselves in limbo. The message was clear: IVF access, which millions of Americans had assumed was settled, could disappear with a single court ruling.
Georgia lawmakers, led by Speaker of the House Jon Burns and Representative Josh Bonner, weren’t taking chances. House Bill 428 might seem like defensive legislation, but sometimes defense is the best offense. The bill explicitly states that nothing in Georgia law prevents access to IVF treatments.
The language is straightforward, almost simple. That simplicity was intentional. Rather than creating complex new regulations, HB 428 provides clarity: IVF is legal and protected in Georgia. Period.
The Georgia Fertility Network again played a crucial role, organizing support and providing expert testimony. When legislators had questions about the science or legal implications, they had knowledgeable advocates ready with answers. This kind of preparation made the difference between a bill that passed and one that stalled in committee.
For families planning IVF treatments, HB 428 provided peace of mind. They didn’t have to worry about their fertility clinic suddenly closing or their treatments being interrupted by legal uncertainty.
The Technical Fix That Matters: IVF Legitimacy Rights
House Bill 327 addressed something most people never think about until they need it: legal legitimacy for children born through IVF. The issue stemmed from an old Georgia law that recognized children conceived through artificial insemination as legitimate but didn’t explicitly include IVF.
The Georgia Supreme Court had ruled that artificial insemination and IVF were different procedures, creating a legal gray area for IVF families. This meant some families needed additional legal steps to secure their parental rights – adding stress and expense to an already complex process.
The fix came from an unexpected source: the State Bar’s Fiduciary Law Section. These attorneys work on estates and inheritances, so they understood how legitimacy questions could create problems for families down the road. A child whose legitimacy was questioned might face inheritance disputes or custody complications years later.
Their solution was elegant: expand the existing legitimacy law to explicitly include IVF. The change passed with little fanfare, which was actually perfect. Sometimes the best legal solutions are the ones nobody argues about.
This might seem like a technical detail, but it represents something larger. Georgia chose to be proactive rather than reactive, addressing potential problems before they hurt families. That kind of forward-thinking approach characterizes all four of these legislative victories.
What These Changes Mean for Georgia Families
The practical impact is substantial. Families considering both adoption and fertility treatments now face far fewer expensive legal requirements, insurance gaps, and procedural uncertainties that once made family building feel overwhelming.
Birth certificate access gives adoptive families better tools for family history research. Insurance coverage for fertility preservation removes a significant financial barrier for families facing medical crises. Clear legal protections for IVF reduce uncertainty and streamline procedures. Expanded legitimacy recognition simplifies parental rights establishment.
The financial savings alone can reach thousands of dollars per family. But the emotional impact might be even more significant. Knowing that Georgia law supports your family building goals reduces stress and increases confidence in the process.
These changes also position Georgia as a destination for family building. When other states create barriers, Georgia is removing them. Families considering relocation for better fertility or adoption laws now have compelling reasons to choose Georgia.
When Professional Help Still Matters
While these legislative victories solve many problems, they don’t eliminate the need for experienced legal guidance. Birth certificates don’t include complete adoption records. Insurance coverage for fertility preservation doesn’t cover all fertility treatments. Legal protections for IVF don’t guarantee successful pregnancies.
Complex adoption cases still require attorneys who understand both the new laws and the existing procedures. Families pursuing surrogacy need contracts that comply with Georgia’s specific requirements. International adoptions involve federal law as well as state law.
The key is understanding what you can handle yourself and what requires professional assistance. Andee’s Law lets you access your birth certificate independently, but unsealing court adoption records still requires legal representation. HB 94 ensures insurance coverage for fertility preservation, but navigating the claims process can be tricky.
Our role has evolved along with the law. Instead of handling routine birth certificate requests, we focus on complex adoption record access and family formation planning. Instead of just explaining insurance gaps for fertility preservation, we help families maximize their coverage and navigate the entire process.
Looking Forward: Building on Success
Georgia’s 2025 legislative session proves that bipartisan cooperation on family issues remains possible. These four bills passed with strong Republican and Democratic support because they addressed real problems facing real families. The solutions were practical rather than ideological.
The Georgia Fertility Network has already begun planning for future legislative sessions. There’s more work to do on insurance coverage for fertility treatments, adoption procedure streamlining, and parental rights protections. The success of 2025 provides a roadmap for future advocacy.
Other states are watching Georgia’s approach. Legislative leaders from several states have reached out to understand how these bills moved through the process so smoothly. Georgia might be setting the standard for comprehensive family protection legislation.
The most important factor was having experienced advocates who understood both the legal details and the political process. Lynn Goldman’s dual role as practicing attorney and Georgia Fertility Network chair meant legislators had access to both expertise and real-world perspective. This combination made complex issues accessible and urgent problems solvable.
Your Family’s Next Steps
If you’re building a family in Georgia, 2025’s legislative victories create new opportunities and considerations. Start by understanding which changes affect your situation directly. If you’re an adult adoptee, explore your birth certificate access through the Department of Public Health. If you’re facing fertility preservation needs, check with your insurance company about coverage requirements.
But don’t assume that new laws eliminate the need for professional guidance. Each family’s situation involves unique factors that require individualized analysis. A consultation can help you understand exactly how these changes benefit your specific goals and what additional steps might be helpful.
The legal landscape for family building has never been more favorable in Georgia. These aren’t just policy victories – they’re tools that make your family dreams more achievable. Whether you’re just starting to consider adoption, dealing with fertility challenges, or navigating complex family formation decisions, Georgia law is on your side in ways it never has been before.
Ready to explore how Georgia’s new family protection laws apply to your situation? Our team combines three decades of family formation experience with deep knowledge of these recent changes. We’re here to help you navigate both the opportunities and the complexities of building your family in today’s legal environment.
