Consensus reached on Massachusetts bill that reforms how a family is defined

• Sam Drysdale, Chris Lisinski

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON…..Negotiators late Wednesday night produced a compromise bill meant to reform how a family is defined in Massachusetts law, a change designed to protect parents and children who use paths such as surrogacy and in-vitro fertilization.

Lawmakers tasked with finalizing the legislation gathered just before midnight to file the deal with the House clerk’s office. Both branches accepted the compromise bill around 2:20 a.m. Thursday morning, and took the final votes to send it to Gov. Maura Healey about half an hour later.

“This has been a bipartisan legislative effort. Massachusetts is the only state in New England that has not updated our parentage laws,” said Sen. Julian Cyr of Truro, one of the lead negotiators. “For so many families, for LGBTQ families like mine and so many people, this 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.” 

“I’m just so proud that we got this done before the end of the session, and also before November,” he added, referring to upcoming elections.

The bill would clarify parentage definitions for families who use reproductive technologies to have children, which is especially important for LGBTQ+ parents.

The House and Senate versions of the bill were similar, with both based on a bicameral bill sponsored by Sens. Cyr, Bruce Tarr and Reps. Kay Khan, Adam Scanlon, Sarah Peake and Hannah Kane.

Healey has publicly supported the bill, according to the Massachusetts Parentage Act Coalition. 

“Let’s go, Massachusetts! We’ve been proud to be a national leader and trailblazer when it comes to LGBTQ+ equality, but we’ve got some catching up to do,” Healey said in a statement published by the coalition in April. “Let’s pass the Massachusetts Parentage Act to make sure every family has the legal protections they need and deserve.”

Cyr and his fellow lead negotiator, Rep. Michael Day of Stoneham, said they had only minor differences to iron out between the House and Senate versions of the legislation.

“It was a surprisingly technical bill. We had to make sure we got it right,” Day said. “There were many, many stakeholders involved in the discussions that went on for months, if not years, to make sure we did get it right.”

The compromise marked the first breakthrough of the day for legislative leaders who remain at odds over a long list of topics.

Asked if he expected all 11 other conference committees to produce deals before lawmakers adjourn their final formal session of the term, Cyr shook his head no and then paused.

“Certainly, we’re focused on getting the bond bills done. [Those are] most essential, right?” he said, referencing the need for roll call votes on borrowing authorizations. “But I’m proud that we got this crossed off the list before midnight, and hopefully that goodwill and spirit will have more to come.”