The bill enacts the Revised Uniform Parentage Act in New Mexico, which aims to clarify the determination of parentage, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy agreements. It introduces new legal definitions and provisions regarding parent-child relationships, emphasizing that these relationships extend equally to all children, regardless of the parents' marital status. The act outlines processes for voluntary acknowledgment and denial of parentage, ensuring that such acknowledgments confer all parental rights and duties. Additionally, it includes provisions for data privacy, establishes court jurisdiction in parentage cases, and specifies that no fees will be charged for filing acknowledgments or denials of parentage. The existing New Mexico Uniform Parentage Act is repealed to provide a comprehensive framework for addressing parentage issues.

The bill also introduces new regulations regarding gestational and genetic surrogacy agreements, detailing requirements for intended parents and surrogates, including age, medical evaluations, and legal representation. It establishes that intended parents are recognized as legal parents upon the child's birth, while the surrogate and her spouse are not considered parents unless specified. Furthermore, the bill amends various sections of New Mexico law related to birth records, the putative father registry, and joint custody arrangements, emphasizing the best interests of the child in custody decisions. Overall, the legislation seeks to modernize family law in New Mexico, ensuring clarity and protection for all parties involved in parentage and reproductive rights.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 24-14-13, 24-14-16, 32A-5-20, 40-4-9.1, 40-4-20, 40-9-2, 40-10B-3, 45-1-301