| R 395 |
| 2019 -- H 6252 Enacted 06/25/2019 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RHODE ISLAND PARENTAGE ACT |
| Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Craven, Caldwell, Blazejewski, and Shekarchi |
| Date Introduced: June 25, 2019 |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island's parentage statutes were last updated in the 1970s; and |
| WHEREAS, There is an urgent need for revision of these outdated laws in order to |
| ensure that all children have access to legal parentage and to ensure that the state's laws are fair |
| and constitutional for all Rhode Island families; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of eleven (11) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island |
| House of Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by |
| the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Chief Judge of the Rhode Island Family |
| Court, or designee; one of whom shall be a GLAD referred lawyer, to be appointed by the |
| Executive Director of GLAD Legal Advocates & Defenders; one of whom shall be the Executive |
| Director of the Alliance for Children, or designee; one of whom shall be the CEO and Executive |
| Director of Adoption Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be a staff member in the |
| Rhode Island Office of Vital Records, to be appointed by the Director of the Rhode Island |
| Department of Health; one of whom shall be an attorney with the Rhode Island Department of |
| Human Services, Office of Child Support Services, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; |
| one of whom shall be a guardian ad litem, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and one |
| of whom shall be a pediatrician, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
| commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly |
| resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
| of a legislator. |
| The purpose of said commission shall be to review the current "Uniform Law on |
| Paternity" and provide recommendations for revisions that would construct and establish a |
| comprehensive "Rhode Island Parentage Act" that stipulates procedures for establishing |
| parentage including, but not limited to, a legal bond between child and parent within various |
| family relationships, and for children conceived through various methods including, but not |
| limited to, genetic testing, surrogacy agreements and assisted reproduction. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson. |
| Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
| All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
| desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters |
| for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the |
| House of Representatives no later than May 20, 2020, and said commission shall expire on June |
| 19, 2020. |
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| LC002913 |
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