Garrett Chapell and Leon McDonald-Chapell always knew their dream of starting a family was going to be difficult, especially in a state that does not allow men to use a surrogate.

Key points: WA laws prevent single men and male same-sex couples from using a surrogate

WA laws prevent single men and male same-sex couples from using a surrogate A bill to amend the laws was introduced last year, but has stalled in the WA Parliament

A bill to amend the laws was introduced last year, but has stalled in the WA Parliament It is only one piece of legislation introduced in 2018 that failed to progress this year

They looked at India, Thailand, America, Mexico and Nepal as alternative options, but each time they came up against roadblocks and bad luck.

They had just started to look at Thailand when the Baby Gammy scandal broke, which prompted a law banning foreigners from travelling there to access commercial surrogacy.

The United States, while their most attractive option, would have cost the couple up to $250,000.

And when it came to making plans for their final option, Nepal, the 2015 earthquake struck.

The couple, who married in Canada in 2011, had always wanted to have a child but laws in their home state of Western Australia prevent single men and same-sex male couples from using a surrogate.

"I don't think people realise just how hard it is and how many barriers there are both legal and social," Mr Chapell said.

Garrett Chapell (left) says he cried happy tears when James (centre) joined their family this year. ( Supplied: Bronnie Joel Photography )

"A lot of people would say 'what about surrogacy?' and we would say, 'it's not legal here' and people would say, 'but my girlfriends are lesbians and they had a baby through surrogacy'?

"I don't think people realise it is not the same scenario."

In August 2018, the WA Government introduced a bill to amend the current law to allow single men and same-sex male couples to access altruistic surrogacy.

But it stalled earlier this year after one MP's marathon 24-hour speech resulted in the vote being delayed, which meant it would become one of several pieces of legislation to gather dust until parliament returns in 2020.

The bill was referred to a parliamentary committee, which concluded the proposed changes would likely discriminate against women, due to the existing requirement for women to have medical reasons to access surrogacy.

The committee found that this could only be avoided by either applying the same rule to men or by removing the requirement for women to have medical reasons.

Garrett Chapell and Leon McDonald-Chapell with their son James. ( Supplied: Bronnie Joel Photography )

So with the bill needing more work before it could again be presented to the Upper House for a conscience vote, there was no guarantee it would pass before the next state election in 2021.

Anticipating a long wait, the Perth couple hedged their bets and successfully applied to become adoptive parents, with 18-month-old James joining the family this year.

"We are ecstatic," Mr Chapell said.

"I haven't cried so much for a very long time, happy tears. I just can't imagine it any other way, it is amazing."

Mr Chapell said while they had found their "happy ending", many others still in limbo would be watching the WA Parliament closely next year.

"There are still families out there wanting to commence the journey and there are just all these roadblocks and they can't," he said.

Clock ticks on frozen embryos

Ric De Castro was one of those who had high hopes the bill would pass in 2019.

Mr De Castro's wife Susanna died in May last year after a long battle with breast cancer.

He desperately wants the law changed to enable him to use the couple's frozen embryos to have the baby they had always wanted.

But after this year, his hopes have started to fade.

Ric De Castro wants the right to use his and his late wife Susanna's frozen embryos. ( ABC News: Eliza Laschon )

"Leading up to Christmas and Susanna's birthday at the beginning of January, a lot of emotions are going through me," he said.

"My goal is to have a child that Susanna and I have brought into the world and give them every opportunity of knowing how much love there is and what love Susanna would have brought to their lives.

"I am putting my hopes on the bill going through at the beginning of [next] year."

Mr De Castro, 47, said he could not wait another year for the law to change, with the clock ticking on the life of the frozen embryos.

Susanna and Ric De Castro were 21 and 23 years old when they married in 1998. ( ABC News: Eliza Laschon )

He said he had considered travelling overseas to use a surrogate or, if that failed, would consider adoption.

"As a single male or same-sex male couple you can adopt in Western Australia, but you can't go through the surrogacy process, which is difficult to accept," he said.

"Due to the fact that they are the same things, you are taking care of a child. Why the laws are still archaic, I don't really understand."

Mr De Castro said he hoped now that the WA Parliament had passed the voluntary assisted dying [VAD] legislation, the surrogacy bill would be the next major social reform on the agenda.

Susanna De Castro died last year after being diagnosed with breast cancer. ( Supplied: Ric De Castro )

"Now that [VAD] has been put through, I hope the surrogacy bill will be next," he said.

No guarantee of pre-poll outcome: Minister

But WA Health Minister Roger Cook could not guarantee the bill would pass before the 2021 election.

"We are looking at amendments to the current bill, in response to the recommendations from the committee," he said.

"I look forward to progressing these important changes."

Other legislation introduced in 2018 that failed to progress through State Parliament this year included the ticket scalping bill, aimed at restricting the resale of event tickets and the Beeliar wetlands bill, which was designed to rezone land to protect it against development.