Unpacking the powerful impact of Michigan's new Family Protection Act (05-11-25)

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes three individuals to talk about Michigan's newly updated law regarding surrogate parenting.
Phil spoke with Tammy Myers, a Michigan mother who was forced to adopt her biological twins in 2021 due to Michigan’s outdated surrogacy laws; Melissa Neckers, an attorney at Miller Johnson, and an expert in assisted reproduction and surrogacy law; and Jarret Zafran, a NYC-based attorney he is the founder and executive director of Brownstone Surrogacy.
All three guests join the program to talk about the new Michigan Family Protection Act. The new law, which took effect on April 1, 2025, decriminalizes surrogacy in Michigan and establishes clear legal frameworks for families formed through assisted reproduction and surrogacy. The law ensures legal recognition of intended parents in surrogacy arrangements from the moment of birth and provides protections for children, surrogates, and intended parents.

Michigan was the only state where surrogacy was still a felony, and it was the first state where surrogacy became a felony.