Protecting All Massachusetts Families

By Kate Weldon LeBlanc

In Massachusetts, action on most substantive bills must be done during formal sessions of the House of Representatives and Senate. These formal sessions end on July 31^st, which often makes for a frenzied start to August. Indeed, in the early morning hours of August 1^st, the legislature enacted an Act to Ensure Legal Parentage Equality, better known as the Massachusetts Parentage Act (MPA). The MPA, which passed unanimously in both the House and Senate, was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey a few days later.

"It was 20 years ago when [Massachusetts] said love is love, secured marriage equality, and changed the world," said Governor Healey at the ceremonial bill signing. "Today, we took action to say that what defines a family is love and commitment, not outdated notions of who should be a parent or how a child should come into the world. This is a victory for all families in Massachusetts who deserve to be treated equally under the law. We are grateful to advocates and our partners in the Legislature for their leadership in passing this long-overdue legislation."

Streamed live on Aug 12, 2024

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and AllPaths Family Building proudly co-chair the incredible MPA coalition, which is comprised of parents, families and over 60 local, regional and national organizations. As the good news of the MPA’s passage spread by text, phone, email and social media to the coalition members, there was abundant emotion, joy and gratitude.

The MPA was urgently needed because laws in the Commonwealth related to parentage, which is the legal parent-child relationship, are over 40 years out of date, and do not reflect the many wonderful ways that families can grow.

The MPA is a child-centered bill that clarifies who can be a legal parent and how to establish parentage. It is inclusive of LGBTQ+ families, families formed through assisted reproduction and surrogacy, as well as families that include a de facto parent. This historic legislation ensures that all children in Massachusetts have equal access to the security of parentage, no matter the gender or marital status of their parents or how their family is formed.

“After more than seven years of advocacy, so many children and families in Massachusetts - and countless future generations - will now have the basic protections that legal parentage provides for children,” said Polly Crozier, GLAD Director of Family Advocacy.

“We thank all the Massachusetts legislators, especially our MPA champions and the leadership, and Governor Healey for recognizing the importance of parentage equality and making it a priority to pass the bill this year.”

The MPA’s bipartisan sponsors included Senators Julian Cyr (D) and Bruce Tarr (R), Representatives Sarah Peake (D), Hannah Kane (R), and Kay Khan (D). "For so many families, for LGBTQ families like mine and so many people, parentage is really essential, particularly given, unfortunately, what we're seeing in too many states across the country that are attacking LGBTQ people and their families," said Senator Cyr.

Now that the MPA is signed into law, Massachusetts becomes the final state in New England, and the 13th in the nation, to adopt parentage protections.