Massachusetts Parentage
The Massachusetts Parentage Act (MPA) will update Massachusetts’ outdated parentage law so that it is clear, equitable, and provides legal protection for all families, including LGBTQ+ families.
TAKE ACTION: Urge your legislators to co-sponsor the bill
This is the year to pass the Massachusetts Parentage Act.
- Find out who supports the MPA
- Get involved and take action
- Why we need the MPA
- Recognizing all families
- Family stories
- Get updates and share your family’s story
- Media
Who supports the MPA
The Massachusetts Parentage Act is widely supported by local families and these state officials, associations, and partner organizations:
- Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey: Office of the MA Attorney General
- Boston City Council: City Council Supports Massachusetts Parentage Act
- Boston Globe Editorial Board: Massachusetts lawmakers must protect the rights of LGBTQ and other parents
- Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly: Legislature must act on surrogacy issues
Check out the full list of supporters.
Get involved and take action
- Urge your state Representative and Senator to co-sponsor the MPA!
- Get updates, volunteer, or share your story: Join us and other MPA supporters.
- Follow the Massachusetts Parentage Act Coalition on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for updates and to share posts and help spread the word.
- Show your support for the MPA: Download the MPA Coalition badge and make it your social media profile picture.
- Learn more about the need for parentage reform from Massachusetts families.
- Download and share the MPA Fact Sheet and family stories.
Why we need to update Massachusetts parentage law
There are many paths to parenthood and many types of families in the Commonwealth, but Massachusetts statutes have not kept pace with modern science and the diversity of our families, leaving children vulnerable.
The Massachusetts Parentage Act (MPA) updates Massachusetts statutes to clarify who can be a parent and how to establish parentage. This bill is critical to ensuring that all children can access the security of legal parentage, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.
This bill is based on the Uniform Parentage Act, which serves as a uniform framework for ensuring the protection of the relationship between parents and children. Originally passed in 1973 to protect children born to unmarried people, the Uniform Parentage Act was most recently revised and approved in 2017. Several of our neighboring states, including Vermont and Maine, have passed similar parentage legislation.
Recognizing all families
The MPA updates Massachusetts law so that it is constitutional, and it protects all children, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. Among other important protections, the MPA provides clarity on how to establish parentage for children born through assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and to same-sex parents who aren’t married. As the law stands now, children are not treated equally, with some having to wait six months or longer to establish their parent-child relationship. That is too long to wait and leaves children and families vulnerable.
Massachusetts families can’t wait any longer for equal access to family protections. Love makes families, and we need our laws to protect them.
Family stories
J. Shia’s parentage story (download)
Testimony from Jess (download)
Sylvia, Jane, and baby R (download)
Visit the family stories landing page
Media: Press coverage, blogs, and videos
- Bay Windows: LGBTQ Families, Advocates Call on Legislature to Pass MA Parentage Act
- WGBH: Pride month begins in Boston with calls for the Legislature to clarify legal parentage
- Telemundo: Inicia celebración del orgullo LGBTQ+ en Boston
- MassLive: ‘We have no law protecting my parentage from being challenged’; Beacon Hill urged to update legal protections for LGBTQ families
- WWLP: Rally for Massachusetts Parentage Act at Boston Statehouse
- Mombian: A Motorcycle Mom — and Her Fight for Equal Parentage
- MetroWest Daily News: Still no statutes protecting children born through surrogacy
- CommonWealth Magazine: Lawmakers need to update outdated parentage laws
- Find more media about the MPA
The MPA Coalition is made up of families, civic leaders, and partner organizations, including:
American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Office of Massachusetts Attorney General
Boston IVF Fertility Clinic
Boston Medical Center
Cape Cod Healthcare
Center for Reproductive Rights
The Children's League of Massachusetts
Circle Surrogacy
Citizens for Juvenile Justice
COLAGE
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Conceiveabilities
Csed Inc. (The Center for Surrogacy and Egg Donation)
Eastern Bank
Family Equality Council
Fenway Health/AIDS Action Committee
Fertility Within Reach
Friends of the Children
Gay Parents To Be
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
Greater Boston Family Law American Inn of Court
Greater Boston PFLAG
Kauffman Law and Mediation
Keshet
Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Massachusetts GLBTQ Political Caucus
MA LGBTQ Bar Association
MA LGBTQ Youth Commission
MA Medical Society
MA Trans Political Coalition
Mass General Brigham
Mass PPD Fund
Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce
MassEquality
Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee
Modern Family Law, Bruce Hale, Esq.
NARAL
National Association of Social Workers – MA Chapter
New England Fertility Society
New England Surrogacy
Nichols, Delisle and Lightholder
OUT MetroWest
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
Progressive Massachusetts
reproductive equity now
Resolve New England
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
Roxbury Youth Works
Seed Trust
UMass Memorial Health