Family law: parentage.

(1) The Uniform Parentage Act defines the parent and child relationship as the legal relationship existing between a child and the child's parents, including the mother and child relationship and the father and child relationship, and governs proceedings to establish that relationship. Under existing law the donor of semen provided to a licensed physician and surgeon or to a licensed sperm bank for use in assisted reproduction of a woman other than the donor's spouse is treated at law as if he were not the natural parent of the child thereby conceived unless otherwise agreed in a writing signed by the donor and the woman prior to the conception of the child. This bill would establish statutory forms for assisted reproduction to provide clarity regarding a person's intent to be a legal parent if he or she is using assisted reproduction at the time of conception. The bill would state that the forms satisfy the writing requirement described above, but would state that use of the forms would not be required to satisfy that writing requirement. (2) Existing law establishes the process by which a person may be adopted by a stepparent who is married to or is the domestic partner of the person's parent. Existing law requires that each case of stepparent adoption be investigated by certain individuals or entities, including a probation officer, private licensed adoption agency, or county welfare department in the county in which the adoption proceeding is pending. Under existing law, the prospective adoptive parent is liable for all reasonable costs incurred in connection with the stepparent adoption, including costs incurred for the investigation. Existing law also requires the prospective adoptive parents to be examined by the court, as specified. This bill would establish a procedure for conducting a stepparent adoption involving a spouse or partner who gave birth to the child during the marriage or domestic partnership, and would exempt these adoptions from the requirements that a home visit or home study be performed, that the prospective adoptive parent appear before the court, and that the prospective adoptive parent be liable for all reasonable costs incurred in connection with the stepparent adoption, unless otherwise ordered by the court for good cause. The bill would make related and conforming changes. (3) Existing law requires an assisted reproduction agreement for gestational carriers to include the date on which the assisted reproduction agreement was executed, the persons from which the gametes originated, unless anonymously donated, and the identity of the intended parent or parents. This bill would require a disclosure of the manner in which the intended parents will cover the medical expenses of the gestational carrier and of the newborn, as provided.