What's happening
This bill allows each parent to choose to be listed as "father," "mother," or "parent" on birth certificates.
Why it matters
Reflects diverse family structures. By allowing parents to select "mother," "father," or "parent," the bill acknowledges and affirms the identities and roles of LGBTQ+ parents, nonbinary individuals, and families with nontraditional parental roles, legitimizing their status in official records.
Reduces administrative and legal complications. Parents who do not fit into traditional gender categories will have fewer barriers when interacting with schools, healthcare providers, and government agencies, since their relationship to their child is accurately represented on legal documents.
Promotes inclusivity and privacy. The option to choose "parent" can prevent unnecessary disclosure of gender identity or family circumstances, offering greater privacy and respecting the preferences of families who wish to avoid labeling parental roles by gender.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Parents Choose Birth Certificate Labels
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
75
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sens. HOYLMAN, RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the content of birth certificates
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "the modern family birth certificate act".
§ 2. Section 4132 of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
5. Each parent of the child may choose to be designated on the certificate of birth as "father" or "mother", as applicable, or as "parent".
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first day of January next succeeding the date upon which it shall have become a law; provided that, effective immediately, the commissioner of the department of health shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this act on or before its effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01170-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the content of birth certificates
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill states that this act shall be known as the "Modern Family Birth Certificate Act."
Section 2 of the bill requires that parents have the option of appearing on their children's birth certificates as either "father," "mother," or "parent."
Section 3 of the bill states that the effective date is the next January 1 after the bill has become a law.
Justification
In the wake of marriage equality in New York State, there are now over half a million LGBT adults who have the right to marry. The next logical step for many of these couples is to start families, and this legislation will ensure that they have the same rights as anyone else, including the right to have their families acknowledged accurately on birth certificates.
This legislation is consistent with the designations currently used by the United States Department of State on their passport applications for children.
Legislative history
S.507 of 2015-2016 (Hoylman): Died in Health A.3552 of 2015-2016 (Hoylman): Died in Health S.7942 of 2014 (Hoylman): Died in Rules
Fiscal implications
None to the State of New York
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first day of January next succeeding the date upon which it shall have become a law; provided that, effective immediately, the commissioner of the department of health shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this act on or before its effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.