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House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	January 7, 2019 03:10 PM
From:	Representative Dan L. Miller
To:	All House members
Subject:	Updating parentage laws for the sake of our kids

Children of same-sex couples in Pennsylvania are at risk of being denied the financial and emotional support of their parents. The legalization of same-sex marriage and the mandate by the US Supreme Court granting same-sex couples recognition on their children’s birth certificates require an update to our law determining the parentage of children born to or being raised by non-traditional parents. Currently, parentage cases are decided on a case-by-case basis with little legislative guidance. That is why I plan to introduce the Uniform Law Commission’s modernization of parentage laws to extend much-needed protections to children with same-sex and de-facto parents and to children born through surrogacy and assisted-reproductive technology. Known as the Uniform Parentage Act, this legislation will ensure that individuals who become parents in non-traditional ways are nevertheless held responsible for the support of their children. It also enhances existing Pennsylvania law that prevents a court form awarding custody of a child conceived as a result of a sexual assault to the parent that perpetrated the assault. Pennsylvania courts have asked repeatedly for a legislative framework upon which to base parentage decisions. Please join me in co-sponsoring this effort to protect the well-being of our children.

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