The proposed legislation, known as the "Fertility Clinic Licensure Act," aims to establish a regulatory framework for fertility clinics in Arkansas. It introduces a definition for "fertility clinic" as a medical facility or healthcare professional that collects or preserves human embryos for creation or placement into patients. The act mandates that any medical facility providing in vitro fertilization must obtain a separate license as a fertility clinic. Additionally, it sets an annual licensing fee of $1,000 for fertility clinics, aligning them with other healthcare institutions.

Furthermore, the act requires fertility clinics to report non-personally identifiable data to the Department of Health, which will compile this information into an annual report available on its website. The Department is also tasked with enforcing compliance, imposing fines of $50,000 for violations of reporting requirements. The legislation emphasizes transparency and accountability in the operation of fertility clinics, ensuring that data is shared with relevant health committees in the state legislature.

Statutes affected:
HB 1795: 20-9-201, 20-9-213, 20-9-214(b)