California’s Legislature Decides
According to KQED News Fix: “A bill in the California Legislature would allow one child to have more than two parents.”
The rationale behind the bill: to help address expanding definitions of family and parenthood brought on by same-sex marriage and advances in reproductive technologies.
The bill, authored by state Sen. Mark Leno passed the state senate in May and is likely to reach the state’s assembly next month, where it is widely expected to pass. From there, the bill would move to the desk of Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, who would have 30 days to sign it into law. Governor Brown hasn’t yet weighed in on the matter.
Statutes in Delaware and the District of Columbia create the possibility for a child having more than two parents in limited situations. And judges in a handful of other states — including Pennsylvania, Louisiana, California and Oregon — have recognized three parents in exceptionally rare scenarios.
But no state has yet passed a law giving judges the explicit authority to do so.
According to its supporters, the bill, known as SB 1476, gives judges another tool to help navigate custody and child-support disputes that are growing more complicated.
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