Dem governor signs parentage bill in big win for LGBTQ+ families: "Delaware has set an example"https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/06/dem-governor-signs-parentage-bill-in-big-win-for-lgbtq-families-delaware-has-set-an-example/ 🔗Faefyx Collington (22 June 2026)
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer (D) has signed a bill updating parentage laws around in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy to enhance protections for the family-building methods, which are key to many LGBTQ+ families. SB 250 comes at a time when both IVF access and LGBTQ+ rights are being threatened across the country.
"Today, we celebrate a victory for all children and families in Delaware," said Jordan Wilson, executive director of COLAGE, an organization designed to help support families with queer parents or guardians. "By modernizing its laws to better reflect and protect today's families, Delaware has set an example for states across the country."
While many may take parental rights for granted, there are many complications that arise around gamete donation and assisted reproductive methods like IVF. How and when legal parentage is granted can vary widely from state to state, and obtaining these rights, even for those who were part of a child's conception from the beginning, can be a legal battle.
"Parentage is the legal relationship between a parent and their child," COLAGE's chief legal and policy officer, Meg York explained to The Advocate. "Sometimes people don't realize that they may be parenting, but they may not have parentage."
