State Rep. Mark Spreitzer
Press Release

Rep. Mark Spreitzer praises same-sex parentage ruling

“While I’m thankful for this decision, I hope we can codify this decision by passing the MFEA, and bring permanent certainty to Wisconsin families.”

By - Sep 15th, 2016 02:59 pm

MADISON – Yesterday, a federal district court in Wisconsin upheld equal rights and confirmed that Wisconsin must issue accurate birth certificates listing both parents for the children of married same-sex couples. In response, Representatives Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) released the following statement:

“My sincere congratulations to all those who now have the legal certainty to simply be a happy family without worrying about their children’s legal status. When I introduced the Marriage and Family Equality Act (MFEA), a bill to update Wisconsin statutes to account for marriage equality, my goal was for our laws to be read in a gender neutral way that recognizes equal rights for all couples. Same-sex married couples should not have to pay a lawyer and go to court to secure basic rights just because Wisconsin’s statutes are outdated.

“The Department of Health Services should immediately issue corrected birth certificates for all families whose equal rights it has denied. Other state agencies must recognize that marriage equality means equal access to all the rights and responsibilities of marriage for same-sex couples.

“While I’m thankful for this decision, I hope we can codify this decision by passing the MFEA, and bring permanent certainty to Wisconsin families.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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