Massachusetts Parentage Act

The Massachusetts Parentage Act will go into effect on January 1, 2025.

Governor Healey signed the Massachusetts Parentage Act into law on August 9, after unanimous passage in the House and Senate. The historic new law will protect LGBTQ+ families and families formed through assisted reproduction. Check out our Massachusetts Parentage Act FAQ to learn about how it will impact your family.

Did you miss the recent webinars about preparing for the new law? You can still watch and find resources:

What You Need to Know About the MPA and Its Protections for Your Family
An info session for parents, families and community members​ to learn about the new law and its impact on Massachusetts families

Massachusetts Parentage Act: What to Know About a New Law to Protect Families​
A webinar for lawyers and organizations to learn how to prepare their clients and constituents for the law’s implementation

Governor Healey signing the Massachusetts Parentage Act at the State House, surrounded by legislative leaders and advocates

The Massachusetts Parentage Act (MPA) updates Massachusetts’ outdated parentage law so that it is clear, equitable, and provides legal protection for all families, including LGBTQ+ families.

Who supports the MPA

The Massachusetts Parentage Act is widely supported by local families and these state officials, associations, and partner organizations:

Check out the full list of supporters.

Get involved and take action

Why we need to update Massachusetts parentage law

Read MPA fact sheet

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.

An Act to Ensure Legal Parentage Equality, known as the Massachusetts Parentage Act or 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

Visit the family stories landing page (downloadable version)


J. Shia’s parentage story
 (download)

MPAC Supporters
Testimony from Jess (download)


Simone’s family
 (download)


Shannon’s family
 (download)


Sylvia, Jane, and baby R
 (download)

MPAC Supporters
Karen’s story
 (download)

Media: Press coverage, blogs, and videos

Click for more media, press coverage, blogs, and videos

Find more family stories here

The Massachusetts Parentage Act is supported by local families and these partner organizations:

AllPaths Family Building

American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Massachusetts

ACLU of Massachusetts

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts – MA Chapter

BAGLY

Baystate Health

Boston IVF Fertility Clinic

Boston Medical Center

Cape Cod Healthcare, Inc.

Center for Reproductive Rights

Children’s Law Center of MA

Children’s League of Massachusetts

Circle Surrogacy & Egg Donation

Citizens for Juvenile Justice

COLAGE

Committee for Public Counsel Services

Conceiveabilities

Csed Inc. (The Center for Surrogacy and Egg Donation) 

Eastern Bank Foundation

Family Equality

Fenway Health

Fertility Within Reach

Friends of Children

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)

Greater Boston Family Law Inn of Courts

Greater Boston PFLAG

Human Rights Campaign

Jewish Alliance for Law & Social Action

Kauffman Law and Mediation

Keshet

Mass General Brigham

Mass NOW

Mass PPD Fund

Massachusetts Advocates for Children

Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth

Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women

Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association

Massachusetts LGBTQ Political Caucus

Massachusetts Medical Society

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Massachusetts Trans Political Coalition

MassEquality

Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee

Modern Family Law, Bruce Hale, Esq.

Movement Advancement Project

National Association of Social Workers–MA Chapter

National Center for Lesbian Rights

New England Fertility Society

New England Surrogacy

Nichols, Delisle & Lightholder

OUT MetroWest

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts

Progressive Massachusetts

Reproductive Equity Now

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

Roxbury Youth Works

SeedTrust

SEIU 509

Transhealth

The Boston Foundation

Tufts Medicine

UMass Memorial Health

Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy