"Alabama Legislature and GOP Senator Block IVF Protections"

Alabama's Republican-controlled legislature passed bills to protect the IVF industry after the state Supreme Court's ruling that frozen embryos should be considered children led to at least three providers halting the procedure. The legislation, which received overwhelming support in both chambers, aims to shield IVF providers from criminal charges and civil lawsuits. Governor Kay Ivey is expected to support the bills. The ruling has sparked nationwide debate, with Republicans seeking to contain backlash and Democrats highlighting it as an assault on reproductive rights. The legislation comes in response to the court ruling, which was based on the state's 2018 Sanctity of Life Amendment, and follows a federal effort to protect IVF being stymied in Congress.