Printable PDF of this document: Connecticut Parentage Act FAQ

Additional resources:

 

What is the Connecticut Parentage Act?

The Connecticut Parentage Act (CPA) is a new set of state laws that comprehensively updates Connecticut parentage law and aims to ensure each child has a clear path to secure their legal parentage. The majority of the CPA goes into effect on January 1, 2022.

Specifically, the CPA ensures greater protections and equal treatment for children of LGBTQ parents. The law allows many LGBTQ parents to establish parentage through a simple form, an Acknowledgment of Parentage, ensuring LGBTQ parents are able to establish their legal relationship to their child immediately at birth. The CPA also extends an accessible path to parentage for children born through assisted reproduction and strengthens protections for children born through surrogacy. The bill was signed into law on May 26, 2021, and goes into effect in 2022.

Cha mẹ có nghĩa là gì?

“Quyền làm cha mẹ” nghĩa là bạn là cha mẹ hợp pháp của một đứa trẻ trên mọi phương diện. Quyền làm cha mẹ đi kèm với một loạt các quyền (ví dụ: quyết định về chăm sóc y tế hoặc giáo dục, thời gian nuôi dạy con cái trong trường hợp ly thân với cha/mẹ còn lại của con) cũng như các trách nhiệm (ví dụ: cung cấp bảo hiểm y tế, đáp ứng các nhu cầu cơ bản, thanh toán tiền cấp dưỡng nuôi con). Mối quan hệ cha mẹ - con cái hợp pháp an toàn là cốt lõi cho sự ổn định và hạnh phúc lâu dài của trẻ.

Why was the CPA passed now?

For years, countless Connecticut families struggled under a legal system that failed to extend parentage protections to LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ families equally. In response, the We Care Coalition, a broad coalition of families and organizations pushing for parentage reform in Connecticut led by Yale Law School Professor Douglas NeJaime Và GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), advocated for modernizing the state’s parentage laws. With the lead sponsorship of Rep. Jeff Currey and Sen. Alex Kasser, the coalition’s hard work paid off.

When does it go into effect? Who will be impacted?

The CPA goes into effect January 1, 2022, with the exception of the provisions on de facto parentage, which go into effect July 1, 2022. All families are impacted, but the legislation is especially important to Connecticut’s LGBTQ families.

Tại sao việc xác định quan hệ cha con nhanh chóng lại quan trọng?

Việc xác lập quan hệ cha mẹ ngay sau khi sinh đảm bảo rằng trẻ được gắn bó với cha mẹ mình trên mọi phương diện và giúp tất cả những người liên quan đến cuộc sống của trẻ hiểu rõ hơn. Ví dụ, việc xác lập quan hệ cha mẹ sẽ cho phép cha mẹ đưa ra bất kỳ quyết định y tế sớm nào trong cuộc đời của trẻ, đảm bảo trẻ sẽ được hưởng quyền lợi bảo hiểm hoặc quyền thừa kế, và bảo vệ quyền làm cha mẹ của cha mẹ nếu họ ly thân.

How can Connecticut families establish parentage under the CPA?

The CPA provides that Connecticut parents can establish their parentage in the following ways:

  • Sinh con (trừ những người mang thai hộ)
  • Việc áp dụng
  • Acknowledgment (by signing an Acknowledgment of Parentage)
  • Phán quyết (lệnh của tòa án)
  • Giả định (bao gồm cả giả định về hôn nhân)
  • Kết nối di truyền (trừ người hiến tinh trùng hoặc trứng)
  • Cha mẹ thực tế
  • Ý định làm cha mẹ thông qua hỗ trợ sinh sản
  • Ý định làm cha mẹ thông qua thỏa thuận mang thai hộ

How does the CPA help people conceiving through assisted reproduction?

The CPA provides important clarity and protections for children born through assisted reproduction. The CPA confirms that a gamete donor (e.g., sperm or egg donor) is not a parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction. Also, the CPA affirms that a person who consents to assisted reproduction with the intent to be a parent of the resulting child is a legal parent.

Nếu tôi không phải là cha/mẹ ruột thì sao? Làm thế nào tôi có thể chứng minh mình là cha/mẹ hợp pháp?

The CPA has many provisions that protect non-biological parents. If you are your child’s presumed parent, or if you are the intended parent of a child born through assisted reproduction other than surrogacy, you can establish parentage by signing an Acknowledgement of Parentage.

All parents can establish parentage through a court order. A presumed parent or an intended parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction can seek a judgment declaring the person a parent of the child.[1] Some nonbiological parents can establish parentage through the CPA’s de facto parent provisions, which require a court to adjudicate the person to be the child’s de facto parent.

Ai là cha mẹ dự định?

An intended parent is a person who consents to assisted reproduction with the intent to be a parent of the child. The CPA addresses intended parents in the context of surrogacy separately from intended parents in the context of other forms of assisted reproduction. Ideally, a person who consents to assisted reproduction with the intent to be a parent will memorialize that intent in writing, but the law does allow other ways to prove intent to be a parent.

Ai là cha mẹ được cho là?

A presumed parent is a non-birth parent that the law recognizes because of certain circumstances or relationships. A presumed parent is established as a legal parent through the execution of a valid Acknowledgement of Parentage, by an adjudication, or as otherwise provided in the CPA.

Bạn được coi là cha mẹ hợp lệ nếu bất kỳ điều nào dưới đây là đúng:

  • Bạn đã kết hôn với cha mẹ ruột của đứa trẻ khi đứa trẻ được sinh ra
  • Bạn đã kết hôn với cha mẹ ruột của đứa trẻ và đứa trẻ được sinh ra trong vòng 300 ngày kể từ ngày cuộc hôn nhân chấm dứt do tử vong, hủy bỏ hoặc ly hôn
  • You, jointly with another parent, resided in the same household with the child and held out the child as your child for at least two years from the time the child was born or adopted

How do I establish my parentage through an Acknowledgment of Parentage?

You can voluntarily acknowledge the parentage of a child by signing a form from the Connecticut Department of Public Health known as an Acknowledgement of Parentage. An Acknowledgement of Parentage must be signed by the birth parent and the other parent (i.e., the person establishing parentage through the Acknowledgment of Parentage). The other parent can be the genetic parent, an intended parent of a child born through assisted reproduction other than surrogacy, or a presumed parent (i.e., the spouse of the birth parent at the time of the child’s birth, or a person who resided with the child and held out the child as the person’s child for at least the first two years of the child’s life[2]).

Signing an Acknowledgement of Parentage form is voluntary, and it can be done at the hospital soon after birth or at a later time at a DSS office. An Acknowledgement of Parentage form must be notarized or witnessed and signed by at least one other person in addition to the parents.  To be valid, the people signing the form must be given oral and written notice explaining the legal consequences, rights, and responsibilities that arise from signing an Acknowledgment of Parentage. If either the birth parent or the non-birth parent does not want to sign this form to establish parentage for the non-birth parent, then either of them can try to have a court determine parentage.

If you have any questions about whether to sign an Acknowledgement of Parentage form, you should consult with a lawyer before signing. An Acknowledgement of Parentage is the equivalent of a court judgment of parentage, and parentage is a considerable, life-long responsibility. An Acknowledgement of Parentage can be rescinded by either party for any reason within 60 days after its signing or prior to an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child in which the signatory is a party, whichever is earlier. A signatory may rescind an Acknowledgment of Parentage by filing a rescission—signed in the presence of either a notary or witness—with the Connecticut Department of Public Health. If the form is not rescinded within that 60-day time frame, an Acknowledgment of Parentage can be challenged only on the basis of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact. At this stage, the Acknowledgment of Parentage can only be challenged in court.

If I am a parent who has signed an Acknowledgement of Parentage, do I also need to do a co-parent adoption?

No. A parent who has signed an Acknowledgement of Parentage should not need to do a co-parent adoption to establish parentage. An Acknowledgement of Parentage establishes legal parentage under state law, is the equivalent of a judgment of parentage under state law, and gives you all the rights and duties of a parent. Under federal law, an Acknowledgement of Parentage is the equivalent of a judicial decree of parentage and should be recognized in all states.

As of December 2021, ten states have clearly expanded access to acknowledgments of parentage to intended parents through assisted reproduction. Since expanded access to acknowledgments of parentage is an emerging development, some parents might feel more comfortable also completing a co-parent adoption. To understand what is best for your family, individualized legal advice is recommended.

Ai là cha mẹ thực tế?

A de facto parent is a parent based on their relationship with the child. Establishing de facto parentage requires a judgment from a court. You can petition a court to establish your own de facto parentage by demonstrating, with clear and convincing evidence, all of the following:

  1. You lived with the child as a regular member of the household for at least one year
  2. Bạn luôn chăm sóc đứa trẻ
  3. Bạn đã chịu trách nhiệm hoàn toàn và lâu dài đối với đứa trẻ mà không mong đợi được bồi thường về mặt tài chính
  4. Bạn đã nuôi dạy đứa trẻ như con của bạn
  5. Bạn đã thiết lập một mối quan hệ gắn bó và phụ thuộc mang tính chất cha mẹ
  6. You had a parental relationship with the child that was supported by another parent
  7. Continuing a relationship with the child is in the child’s best interest

How does the CPA address surrogacy?

Connecticut law already authorized courts to recognize intended parents who have children through a gestational surrogacy arrangement as the child’s legal parents. The CPA provides much more comprehensive regulation of surrogacy, including guidance about how to establish parentage through surrogacy agreements. The CPA includes both gestational surrogacy, in which the person acting as the surrogate is not genetically connected to the child, and genetic surrogacy, in which the person acting as the surrogate is genetically connected to the child. Before starting any medical procedures to conceive a child through a surrogacy process, you must have a written and signed agreement. This agreement is between you, any other intended parents, the person acting as the surrogate, and that person’s spouse (if applicable). This agreement will establish that you are the parent(s) of the child and that the surrogate and their spouse (if applicable) do not have parental rights or duties. If you are entering a genetic surrogacy agreement, you must also have the agreement validated by a probate court before any medical procedure takes place.

Để ký kết thỏa thuận mang thai hộ, tất cả những điều sau đây phải đúng:

  1. Tất cả các bậc cha mẹ dự định và người làm người mang thai hộ phải ít nhất 21 tuổi
  2. Tất cả các bậc cha mẹ dự định và người đóng vai trò là người mang thai hộ phải hoàn thành đánh giá sức khỏe tâm thần và người đóng vai trò là người mang thai hộ cũng phải hoàn thành đánh giá y tế
  3. Người làm người mang thai hộ phải đã từng sinh ít nhất một đứa con
  4. Người làm người thay thế phải có bảo hiểm y tế hoặc một số hình thức bảo hiểm y tế khác
  5. Cha mẹ dự định và người đóng vai trò là người mang thai hộ phải có luật sư riêng đại diện cho mục đích của thỏa thuận và luật sư của người đóng vai trò là người mang thai hộ phải do cha mẹ dự định chi trả.

Luật pháp yêu cầu các thỏa thuận mang thai hộ phải bao gồm một số điều khoản mới có hiệu lực, chẳng hạn như cho phép người mang thai hộ tự đưa ra quyết định về sức khỏe và phúc lợi của mình trong thời kỳ mang thai và yêu cầu cha mẹ dự định phải trả tất cả các chi phí chăm sóc sức khỏe liên quan.

Nếu tôi chưa kết hôn thì sao?

The CPA explicitly provides that every child has the same rights as any other child without regard to the marital status of the parents, or the circumstances of the child’s birth. By not differentiating between parents based on their marital status, the CPA aims to treat all Connecticut families equally.

Nếu tôi là người chuyển giới hoặc phi nhị nguyên giới thì sao?

The CPA explicitly provides that every child has the same rights as any other child without regard to the gender of the parents or the circumstances of the child’s birth. The CPA, by not including gendered terms such as mother or father, is inclusive of all genders. By not differentiating between parents based on their gender, the CPA aims to treat all Connecticut families equally.

Can a child have more than two legal parents?

Yes. Under the CPA, a court may determine that a child has more than two legal parents if the failure to do so would be detrimental to the child. To determine detriment to the child, courts will consider factors such as the nature of the potential parent’s relationship with the child, the harm to the child if the parental relationship is not recognized, the basis for each person’s claim of parentage of the child, and other equitable factors.

Có biện pháp bảo vệ nào dành cho những người sống sót sau bạo lực gia đình để họ không bị ép buộc phải xác lập quyền làm cha mẹ hợp pháp?

The CPA aims to ensure that the establishment of parentage is fair, clear, efficient, and child-centered. Some legal parentage–such as the nonmarital presumption[3] and de facto parentage–can arise by consent. No one should ever be pressured to consent to parentage. The CPA contains provisions that allow parents to challenge another person’s parentage if the other person claims to be a presumed parent or a de facto parent but satisfied the requirements for parentage through duress, coercion, or threat of harm.

Tôi có thể đến đâu nếu cần trợ giúp giải quyết vấn đề liên quan đến cha mẹ?

As with any family law issue, individualized legal advice is recommended. Câu trả lời GLAD, GLAD’s legal information line, can provide information as well as referrals to local practitioners. If you have questions about how to protect your family, contact GLAD Answers at www.GLADAnswers.org or 800.455.GLAD.

For more information, visit glad.org/cpa.

 

[1] Cha mẹ được cho là muốn xác lập quan hệ cha con trong những trường hợp mà cha mẹ kia không phải là cha mẹ ruột của đứa trẻ, ví dụ, đứa trẻ được cha mẹ kia nhận làm con nuôi, phải xác lập quan hệ cha con thông qua phán quyết và không thể xác lập quan hệ cha con thông qua Giấy xác nhận quan hệ cha con.

[2] Một người xác lập quan hệ cha mẹ dựa trên việc cư trú với đứa trẻ và coi đứa trẻ là con của mình trong hai năm đầu đời của đứa trẻ không thể xác lập quan hệ cha mẹ thông qua Giấy xác nhận quan hệ cha mẹ cho đến khi đứa trẻ được hai tuổi.

[3] This relates to the presumption of parentage in which a person may establish parentage based on, jointly with another parent, residing with the child and holding out the child as the person’s child for the first two years of the child’s life.

 

Updated September 2021. Print this page as a PDF.