Nevada Assembly Bill AB371

Nevada 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/22/23
• Refer: 3/22/23
• Report Pass: 4/24/23
• Engrossed: 4/26/23
• Refer: 4/26/23
• Report Pass: 5/24/23
• Enrolled: 5/31/23
• Vetoed: 6/16/23

Caption

Makes various changes relating to parentage. (BDR 11-140)

Impact

The bill significantly revises existing Nevada laws relating to parentage, enhancing legal clarity and security for parents and children alike. Notably, it allows a court to recognize a child as having more than two parents under specific circumstances—an important shift reflecting the diverse familial arrangements seen today. It also repeals outdated provisions that hindered the recognition of parentage, thereby aligning state law with contemporary practices and ensuring that the best interests of the child remain the focus of any legal proceedings.

Summary

Assembly Bill 371 addresses the establishment of parent and child relationships by adopting provisions from the Uniform Parentage Act (UPA). It outlines new methods for determining parentage, allowing for greater flexibility in adjudicating cases involving the complexities of modern family structures. This legislation introduces provisions for voluntary acknowledgment and denial of parentage, facilitating clearer pathways for individuals in various familial contexts, including those involving surrogacy and assisted reproduction.

Contention

A key point of contention surrounding AB371 is its potential implications for traditional definitions of family and parenthood, particularly the ability to designate multiple legal parents. Critics raise concerns about the complexities this may introduce in custody disputes and the potential for ambiguity in legal responsibilities. Furthermore, discussions indicate varying opinions on how genetic testing, as outlined in the bill, should be regulated, with some advocating for strict oversight to protect individual privacy rights while others argue for accessible testing to aid in definitive parentage assertions.