Assembly Bill 314 seeks to amend Wisconsin law by adopting gender-neutral terminology in marriage and parentage, in line with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognizes same-sex marriage. The bill replaces terms such as "husband" and "wife" with "spouse" across various statutes, ensuring equal rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples in areas like income tax, marital property, inheritance rights, and child support. It also establishes legal parentage rights for same-sex couples, allowing for joint adoption and clarifying that a spouse can consent to artificial insemination, thus becoming a legal parent.

Additionally, the bill modifies laws regarding birth certificates to ensure that a spouse's name is recorded as a legal parent, regardless of biological ties, and expands the definition of "natural parent" to include those recognized through legal means like adoption. It further updates language related to surviving spouses, minors, and the distribution of information about fetal alcohol syndrome and drug dangers, replacing "mother" with "pregnant person" and ensuring clarity and inclusivity in legal language. Overall, the bill aims to create a more inclusive legal framework that reflects the diverse structures of modern families.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 29.219(4), 29.219, 29.228(5), 29.228, 29.228(6), 29.229(2)(i), 29.229, 29.2295(2)(i), 29.2295, 29.563(3)(a)3, 29.563, 29.607(3), 29.607, 45.01(6)(c), 45.01, 45.51(3)(c)2, 45.51, 45.51(5)(a)1.b, 45.51(5)(a)1.c, 45.55, 46.03(34), 46.03, 46.10(2), 46.10, 46.238