Is It OK for a Child to Have More Than Two Parents?

California Democrats want to increase the number of parents a child can have. SB 1476 would allow a child to have more than two parents at the same time in order to accommodate same-sex parents, surrogates, assisted reproduction, and other non-traditional parental relationships.

SacBee.com reports: Mom and Dad, same-sex couples or blended families, California law is clear: No more than two legal parents per child. State Sen. Mark Leno is pushing legislation to allow a child to have multiple parents.

"The bill brings California into the 21st century, recognizing that there are more than Ozzie and Harriet families today," Leno said. But some disagree. "It comes as no surprise that he would try to say that a child has more than two parents – that's absurd," said Benjamin Lopez, a legislative analyst for Traditional Values Coalition, a Bible-based civil rights group.

SacBee points out potential problems and complexities caused by SB 1476:
Tax deductions, citizenship, probate, public assistance, school notifications and Social Security rights all can be affected by determinations of parenthood, notes the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists.

Examples of three-parent relationships that could be affected by SB 1476 include: 1) A family in which a man began dating a woman while she was pregnant, then raised that child with her for seven years. The youth also had a parental relationship with the biological father. 2) A same-sex couple who asked a close male friend to help them conceive, then decided that all three would raise the child. 3) A divorce in which a woman and her second husband were the legal parents of a child, but the biological father maintained close ties as well. How do you feel about the proposed bill?