Replaces the terms father, mother, and filiation to gender neutral language; repealer

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic1

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Luis R. Sepúlveda says this is needed

The word paternity comes from the Latin word "paternitatem," which means "fatherly care, fatherhood." While being used for centuries to determine paternal origin, this term is strictly gender-related and refers to the male parent of a child. In the alternative, the word "parentage" refers to "a descent from parents or ancestors," focusing on the parental conduct, and the relationship exhibited in the recognition and care for children. The Child-Parent Security Act (CPSA) became law in New York State in 2021, legalizing gestational surrogacy arrangement, and establishing mechanisms which would allow to legally secure parental rights; the CPSA uses gender neutral language, underscoring the importance of "acknowl- edgments of parentage." Following the lead of the CPSA, this bill will substitute the more encompassing term "parentage" for the now-outdated terms "paternity" and "filiation." This would result in making this terminology consistent across all applicable statuses. Courts have recognized how the concept of parentage can be established in a variety of ways, not simply those which are delineated in the Family Court Act. This drives the need for important legislative change. Courts have recognized how non-biological, non-adoptive parents can be treated as legal parents in certain circum- stances (Brooke S.B. v. Elizabeth A.C.C., 28 NY3d 1 (2016)), and this led to the application of principles of equitable estoppel to questions of parentage/paternity (Shondel J. v. Mark D., 7 NY3d 320 (2006)). Advo- cates urge for the need to modernize, catching up with evolving defi- nitions of parenthood. By adjusting language in the law, not only it is possible to make it more inclusive, but it also determines the utilization of a term which encompasses a broader concept of parental care - not one strictly related to "fatherhood."

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.