Public Hearing on Resolution Recognizing Infertility Awareness Week in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY — Today, the Missouri House Health and Mental Health Committee is holding a public hearing on House Concurrent Resolution 28 (HCR 28), legislation sponsored by State Representative Marty Joe Murray that would designate the last full week of April each year as “Infertility Awareness Week” in Missouri. The Hearing is taking place at the Missouri State Capitol 201 W. Capitol, Jefferson City,MO, Date: 3/12/2026 Time: 8:00AM Location: House Hearing Room 6. Online testimony can be submitted here: Witness Testimony Form.

The resolution aims to increase public understanding of infertility, reduce stigma, and highlight the emotional, physical, and financial challenges faced by families trying to conceive. Medical experts estimate that approximately one in six couples experience infertility, making it a significant but often overlooked public health issue affecting millions of individuals and families.

“Missouri is a state that values family,” said Rep. Murray. “But for many people, the path to building a family is far more difficult than we talk about. Infertility Awareness Week gives us an opportunity to bring this issue into the open, support families navigating infertility, and begin meaningful conversations about how policy can better support them.”

The hearing includes testimony from advocates, families, and healthcare professionals who shared their experiences navigating fertility challenges and emphasized the importance of education, research, and access to care. Recognizing Infertility Awareness Week would encourage greater public awareness while signaling Missouri’s commitment to addressing barriers to family building and reproductive health.

Expanding Access to Fertility Care

In addition to the awareness resolution, Rep. Murray is hoping to advance broader legislation focused on improving access to fertility care across Missouri.

House Bill 2236/3215, also sponsored by Rep. Murray, establishes the Missouri Family Building and Fertility Access Act, which would create an Infertility Access Program within the Department of Health and Senior Services. The program would help Missourians, particularly those in rural or medically under-served communities, access fertility diagnosis and treatment by providing travel assistance, lodging stipends, and telehealth support to reach certified fertility clinics.

The bill also creates an Infertility Access Fund, expands tele-medicine infrastructure for fertility specialists, and requires statewide reporting on fertility treatment access and outcomes to better understand barriers such as cost, distance, and provider shortages.

“Awareness is the first step, but it must be followed by action,” Murray said. “HB 2236/3215 focuses on real solutions, expanding access to care, strengthening tele-health, and ensuring Missouri families have the resources they need when trying to start or grow their families.”

Rep. Murray emphasized that Missouri’s conversation around family-building should include both compassion and policy solutions that address modern fertility challenges. With declining birth rates and growing research into environmental factors affecting reproductive health, he noted that supporting families must remain a bipartisan priority.

For more information please contact the Office of State Representative Marty Joe Murray, Marty.Murray@house.mo.gov, 573-751-2383.

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