Massachusetts Senate Unanimously Passes Parentage Act

Historic Bill Awaits Final Enactment Before Heading to Governor

The Massachusetts Senate today voted unanimously to pass An act to ensure legal parentage equality, mieux connu sous le nom de Loi sur la filiation du Massachusetts, a historic piece of legislation that will protect LGBTQ+ families, and children born through surrogacy and assisted reproduction, in forming the legal bond of a parent-child relationship. The bill now awaits final enactment before it heads to Governor Maura Healey’s desk for her signature. Governor Healey has stated strong support for the legislation.

“Today, Massachusetts took a major step forward in ensuring that all families are treated equally under our laws,” said Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. “We are grateful to the many people, families, and advocates who have fought for years to get to this point. We thank the Senate leadership, Senate Sponsors Senators Julian Cyr and Bruce Tarr, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Jamie Eldridge and the many Senators on both sides of the aisle who voted unanimously to pass the MPA today. With this vote the Massachusetts Senate demonstrated that fairness under the law is for everyone. We look forward to seeing the Massachusetts Parentage Act enacted and signed into law soon.”

The Massachusetts Parentage Act 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, including through assisted reproduction and surrogacy.

Currently, Massachusetts is the only state in New England without comprehensive statutory protections on parentage. 

The bill’s bipartisan sponsors include Democrat Senator Julian Cyr, Republican Senator Bruce Tarr, Democrat Representative Sarah Peake, Republican Representative Hannah Kane, and Democratic Representative Kay Khan. 

The Massachusetts Parentage Act is supported by a coalition of over 60 organizations: 

AllPaths Family Building, Académie américaine des avocats spécialisés en adoption et en procréation assistée, Collège américain des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Massachusetts, ACLU du Massachusetts, Société américaine de médecine de la reproduction, Association des tribunaux de la famille et de conciliation – Chapitre du Massachusetts, BAGLY, Baystate Health, Clinique de fertilité Boston IVF, Centre médical de Boston, Cape Cod Healthcare, Inc., Centre pour les droits reproductifs, Centre de droit de l'enfance du Massachusetts, Ligue des enfants du Massachusetts, Cercle de maternité de substitution et de don d'ovules, Citoyens pour la justice des mineurs, COLAGE, Comité des services de conseil public, Conceiveabilities, Csed Inc. (Centre de maternité de substitution et de don d'ovules), Fondation Eastern Bank, Égalité des familles, Fenway Health, Fertility Within Reach, Friends of Children, Défenseurs juridiques LGBTQ (GLAD), Greater Boston Family Law Inn of Courts, Greater Boston PFLAG, Campagne pour les droits de l'homme, Alliance juive pour le droit et l'action sociale, Kauffman Law and Mediation, Keshet, Mass. General Brigham, Mass. Français NOW, Mass PPD Fund, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Chapitre du Massachusetts de l'Académie américaine de pédiatrie, Commission du Massachusetts sur la jeunesse LGBTQ, Commission du Massachusetts sur le statut de la femme, Association du barreau LGBTQ du Massachusetts, Caucus politique LGBTQ du Massachusetts, Société médicale du Massachusetts, Société du Massachusetts pour la prévention de la cruauté envers les enfants, Chambre de commerce LGBT du Massachusetts, Coalition politique trans du Massachusetts, MassEquality, Comité des conseillers juridiques en santé mentale, Droit de la famille moderne, Bruce Hale, Esq., Projet d'avancement du mouvement, Association nationale des travailleurs sociaux - Chapitre du Massachusetts, Centre national pour les droits des lesbiennes, Société de fertilité de la Nouvelle-Angleterre, Surrogacy de la Nouvelle-Angleterre, Nichols, Delisle & Lightholder, OUT MetroWest, Ligue pour le planning familial du Massachusetts, Progressive Massachusetts, Reproductive Equity Now, RESOLVE : L'Association nationale de l'infertilité, Roxbury Youth Works, SeedTrust, SEIU 509, Transhealth, Fondation de Boston, UMass Memorial Health et Institut Williams sur le droit et les politiques publiques en matière d'orientation sexuelle et d'identité de genre.

Learn more about the Massachusetts Parentage Act