RI Parentage Act Addresses 'Serious Equality, Rights Issue'

PROVIDENCE, RI — A piece of legislation clarifying the rights of all Rhode Island parents was approved by the Rhode Island senate on Wednesday night. The "Rhode Island Parentage Act" would remove outdated language from the state's laws which the bill's sponsor said unfairly discriminates against nontraditional family structures.

"The Judiciary Committee heard heart wrenching testimony about the ways in which our outdated laws are impacting parents and children," Senator Erin Lynch-Prata said. "As our laws stand right now, a couple who have a child via a sperm donor may have to hire a lawyer or advertise to determine parentage in order to terminate the parental rights of an anonymous sperm donor."

The would repeal the outdated language, replacing it with new provisions that take into consideration LGBTQ parents or anyone else who did not conceive their child in the traditional fashion.

"Parents may be unable to make medical decisions for their child when they’re incapacitated due to complications," Lynch-Prata continued. "This is simply unfair ... The last time our parentage laws were updated was in the 1970’s. Our society has changed considerably since then. This bill represents a legislative solution to a serious equality and rights issue for all loving and nurturing parents."

Under the new law, parentage could be established through brith, adoption, acknowledgement, adjudication, genetics, assisted reproduction, surrogacy, de facto parentage or presumptions, as well as creates a framework for parental establishment through Family Court.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for a vote.