California lawmakers will be presented with a controversial bill Tuesday that seeks to give certain sperm donors legal standing to argue for parental rights.
The measure going before the Assembly Judiciary Committee, SB 115, would allow a donor who has acted as a father and cared for a child to claim legal rights and assume the responsibilities associated with being the child's father.
Under current California law, a sperm donor is not regarded as the father of the child he helped conceive through artificial insemination. That is designed to protect both donors and the women who don't want a donor involved in the child's life.
Two years ago, a state law was passed allowing a donor to make a written agreement with the child's mother, which would allow the donor to play a role in the child's life. But that still allowed for a woman to first agree and then change her mind.
The new bill, authored by Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), seeks to clarify the 2011 statute so unmarried donors can file paternity claims, with the burden of proving to the court that they have acted as a father to the child.
Actor Jason Patric will testify before the committee Tuesday to support the legislation, NBC News reported.
The “Lost Boys” actor is involved in a heated custody battle with former girlfriend Danielle Schreiber, pictured below, with whom he has a 3-year-old son, Gus, who was conceived using in vitro fertilization.
Patric took his case to state lawmakers after a judge ruled that he was to be classified strictly as a sperm donor and that he had no paternal rights over Gus.
The bill was approved by the California Senate on April 25.
Photo credit: TODAY
More Southern California Stories:
