In March 2026, Florida lawmakers took an important step toward strengthening protections for children and upholding ethical boundaries in the realm of reproductive technologies. With the passage of House Bill 905 (HB 905), the state advanced legislation primarily aimed at curbing foreign influence, but notably amended to include meaningful restrictions on commercial surrogacy.

Through a floor amendment, HB 905 now prohibits the formation of surrogacy contracts in which any party is a citizen or resident of a “foreign country of concern,” including nations such as China, Russia, and Iran. While framed within a broader national security context, this provision carries significant implications for the protection of women and children involved in cross-border reproductive arrangements.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Fort Myers) cited the Arcadia case the CBC helped expose where a Chinese couple, raising 21 children, mostly born from surrogacy, is under investigation for child abuse. “It’s time to act,” Persons-Mulicka said. “I don’t want to wait until multiple babies are born in the state of Florida and shipped to China to be raised under Chinese control before we take action.”

For years, the global surrogacy industry has raised serious ethical concerns that have largely gone ignored.  Complex international arrangements can create conditions where women—often in vulnerable circumstances—are exposed to exploitation, and children risk being treated as commodities within a transactional system.

This legislative action reflects a growing awareness that reproductive technologies, especially international surrogacy arrangements, fail to operate within an ethically sound or adequately regulated framework. When international dynamics are involved, enforcement becomes more difficult, and the potential for abuse increases. HB 905 begins to draw clearer lines, signaling that the well-being of children must remain paramount, even as technology and markets expand.

Importantly, this moment also underscores the role of policymakers in navigating complex bioethical terrain. The inclusion of surrogacy provisions within a foreign influence bill may seem unexpected, but it demonstrates a willingness to confront overlapping concerns—national security, human rights, and child welfare—within a single legislative framework.

For the Center for Bioethics and Culture, this development represents a meaningful, if partial, victory. It affirms longstanding concerns about the commercialization of reproduction and the need for stronger safeguards, particularly in cases involving international parties. At the same time, it highlights the importance of continued engagement. Much work remains to ensure that all surrogacy arrangements prioritize the dignity and rights of both women and children.

That ongoing work is already taking shape. As of early 2026, Florida lawmakers and officials are actively advancing additional measures to address serious gaps in oversight—particularly concerning the ability of registered sex offenders to obtain children through surrogacy arrangements. Legislative efforts such as Senate Bill 1680 would require background checks in the surrogacy process, while federal proposals like the No Surrogacy for Sex Offenders Act would establish significant criminal penalties for violations. These efforts follow troubling revelations that existing legal loopholes have been exploited, underscoring the urgent need for stronger protections.

Taken together, these developments signal a broader shift: a growing willingness to confront the ethical risks embedded within modern reproductive practices and to place the safety of children at the center of policy decisions. Laws like HB 905 are an important step, but they are part of a larger, necessary movement toward accountability, transparency, and the protection of the most vulnerable. Our hope is that other states will look to this legislation as they consider how best to address the ethical challenges posed by globalized reproductive markets. Our hope is that we close our boarders to all international surrogacy arrangements.

Above all, this moment belongs to the children whose futures are impacted by the decisions we make today. Children are not products of a contract, but persons deserving of protection, care, and recognitions of their inherent worth. The well-being of all children must remain at the center of our efforts. Florida, a historically “surrogacy friendly state” is leading the way in taking meaningful steps to protect children forever!

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