State Representative Lipper-Garabedian Joins the Massachusetts House to Pass Parentage Act

Bill updates parentage laws to reflect modern-day families

BOSTON – Wednesday, June 12, 2024 – State Representative Lipper-Garabedian joined the  Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing “An Act to ensure legal parentage equality,” which updates the Commonwealth’s parentage laws to reflect modern-day families, including those with children born to LGBTQ+ families, and through methods such as assisted reproduction and surrogacy.

“Ensuring that the Commonwealth’s laws reflect an evolving society, along with the implications of modern technology, is a key responsibility that we have as elected officials. By bolstering protections for children born through assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and to same-sex parents, we are doing just that,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Chairman Day and the lead sponsors of this legislation for their continued commitment to ensuring that modern-day families are protected here in Massachusetts, as well as all my colleagues in the House for recognizing the importance of updating our parentage laws.”

“I was proud to vote in support of this bipartisan bill to protect and honor the diversity of families and parents in the Commonwealth,” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose). “As the nation’s leader in recognizing marriage equality 20 years ago, Massachusetts will continue to serve as a model for the country and the world in advancing human rights for all residents, including those in the LGBTQ+ community, with the passage of the Parentage Act.”

Parental rights and responsibilities are broad and include, for example, the ability to attend and make decisions during medical appointments, manage a child’s finances, participate in educational decisions, and provide authorizations for a child’s travel. While Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage 20 years ago, LGBTQ+ residents continue to face significant barriers in obtaining full legal recognition as a parent. The bill passed today updates the Commonwealth’s laws so common paths to parentage may be utilized equally by all families, regardless of marital status. It also creates a new path to parentage for individuals who are “de facto” parents, and ensures that every child has the same rights and protections to parentage without regard to the marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation of their parents, or the circumstances of their birth.

Massachusetts leads the nation in easing the path for assisted reproduction, including surrogacy and in-vitro fertilization (IVF). However, current laws do not adequately outline rights, requirements, procedures and safeguards for parents, donors, surrogates, and others involved in the process. This bill establishes clear paths to parentage for individuals or couples utilizing assisted reproduction and surrogacy in order to provide legal recognition and status prior to the child’s birth.

For many families, non-biological parents are their child’s parent in every way except being legally recognized as such. They provide consistent caregiving, financial, and emotional support, and they are recognized by the child as their parent. The bill passed today legally recognizes the importance of these relationships and affords individuals who have been acting in a meaningful parental role for a significant amount of time the opportunity to seek full legal rights befitting their relationship. It also provides notice, and an opportunity to be heard, to existing parents. Lastly, the bill safeguards against abuse and protections for domestic violence survivors and military parents.

Having passed the House of Representatives 156-0, the bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

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