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Assemblymember Tangipa presents tax credit for IVF expenses; supporters highlight high out‑of‑pocket costs
Summary
AB 547 (the "more babies" bill) would provide a tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for IVF and qualified fertility treatment expenses; supporters described multi‑thousand dollar out‑of‑pocket costs and personal journeys, while no opposition registered at the hearing. The bill was referred to the committee suspense file.
Assemblymember Tangipa introduced AB 547 to create a personal income tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for expenses related to in‑vitro fertilization (IVF) and qualified fertility treatments.
Author and supporters described the high emotional and financial cost of fertility treatment. Courtney Heiner, a witness, recounted four rounds of IVF and out‑of‑pocket expenses totaling roughly $88,000 (including legal fees of about $12,000 for a gestational carrier arrangement) before a successful birth; she said many families cannot afford multiple IVF cycles. "So many women and families around California might not be in the same financial situation that we were able to be in," she testified, and urged lawmakers to make IVF more affordable.
Assemblymember Garcia asked why the measure was structured as a tax expenditure rather than mandated insurance coverage; the author responded that, even if coverage expands, out‑of‑pocket costs would remain and the credit is an initial step to make treatment more affordable. No formal opposition witnesses appeared; the committee referred AB 547 to the suspense file for further fiscal consideration.
