Massachusetts poised to expand laws defining parentage, bolstering LGBTQ+ family rights

• They range from married parents who used in vitro fertilization to conceive, to parents whose children aren’t related by blood.

The latest: State legislators passed the bill around 2:50am Thursday — the first major proposal they approved on their last day of formal lawmaking.

• A negotiations committee gathered hours earlier to tweak language in the bill, two months after the House passed it and a day after the Senate vote.
• Yes, but: Unlike many LGBTQ+ rights bills in other states, this one passed with bipartisan support.

Between the lines: The last-minute scramble is nothing new on Beacon Hill.

• Even proposals with overwhelming support get held up amid the flurry of bills lawmakers try to hammer out in late July.

Zoom out: Massachusetts is the only state in New England that hasn’t updated its parentage laws to protect LGBTQ+ parents.

• Outside the region, states have rolled back protections for LGBTQ+ families in recent years.
• “For LGBTQ families like mine and so many people, this is really essential,” said Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat and one of the lead negotiators.

What’s next: Gov. Maura Healey, who expressed support for the proposal in the past, has 10 days to sign the bill.

• Once it's signed, the legislation takes effect Jan. 1.