HOUSE RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING "NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK" ON APRIL 19-25, 2026, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

H8453

2026 -- H 8453
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LC004541
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
COMMEMORATING "NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK" ON APRIL 19-25,
2026, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By:
Representatives McNamara, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale,
Kennedy, Ajello, Tanzi, Santucci, Cortvriend, and Boylan

Date Introduced:
April 16, 2026

Referred To:
House read and passed
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WHEREAS, According to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, 1 in 6 people
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worldwide experience infertility, making it a prevalent public health concern that impacts
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millions of families; and
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WHEREAS, The World Health Organization and the American Medical Association
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define infertility as a disease, recognizing that it can result from medical, genetic, environmental,
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or unexplained causes; and
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WHEREAS, Infertility affects women and men equally and does not discriminate based
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on race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or socioeconomic level; and
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WHEREAS, The LGBTQI+ community also faces challenges when building their
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families; and
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WHEREAS, All people challenged in their family-building journey should have access to
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all family-building options. Families facing obstacles while trying to start or expand can have
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profound emotional, psychological and financial impacts, including stress, anxiety, depression,
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and significant out-of-pocket expenses; and
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WHEREAS, Family-building options include adoption, assisted reproductive
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technologies, in vitro fertilization (IVF), third-party reproduction, and fertility preservation.
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Access to these options is essential to ensuring reproductive equity for all individuals and
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couples; and
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WHEREAS, Cost and lack of insurance coverage are challenges for many in our State to

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access the family-building option they need; and
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WHEREAS, Raising awareness about infertility and the barriers faced by the family-
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building community is the first step to removing these barriers, reducing stigma, supporting
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affected individuals and families, and improving access to care; now, therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
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joins RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, dedicated volunteers, health care
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professionals, and members of the infertility and family-building community in commemorating
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and participating in “National Infertility Awareness Week” on April 19-25, 2026, in the State of
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Rhode Island; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to CEO Danielle Melfi, RESOLVE: The National
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Infertility Association.
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