Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-301. Acknowledgment of parentage
(a) The following individuals may sign an acknowledgment of parentage to establish parentage of a child:
(1) An individual who gave birth to the child;
(2) An individual who is the alleged genetic parent of the child;
(3) An individual who is an intended parent of the child under § 15-8.1-703; and
(4) A presumed parent under article 4 of this chapter.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-301
- Alleged genetic parent: means an individual who is alleged to be, or alleges that the individual is, a genetic parent or possible genetic parent of a child whose parentage has not been adjudicated. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Birth: includes stillbirth and fetal death. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Child: means an individual of any age whose parentage may be determined pursuant to this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Intended parent: means an individual, whether married or unmarried, who manifests an intent to be legally bound as a parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction or a gestational carrier agreement. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Parent: means an individual who has established parentage that meets the requirements of this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Parentage: means the legal relationship between a child and a parent as established under this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Presumed parent: means a person who is presumed to be the parent of a child under Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Sign: means , with the intent to authenticate or adopt a record, to:
(i) Execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or
(ii) Attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or process. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
- Witnessed: means that at least one individual is authorized to sign and has signed a record to verify that the individual personally observed a signatory sign the record. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-8.1-102
(b) The acknowledgment shall be signed by both the individual who gave birth to the child and by the individual seeking to establish a parent-child relationship and shall be witnessed and signed by at least one other individual and shall contain the following provisions:
(1) A statement that the child whose parentage is being acknowledged does not have a presumed parent other than the individual seeking to establish the parent-child relationship or has a presumed parent whose full name is stated and does not have another acknowledged, adjudicated or intended parent under articles 7 and 8 of this chapter other than the individual who gave birth to the child.
(2) A statement that the signatories understand that the acknowledgment is the equivalent of an adjudication of parentage of the child and that a challenge to the acknowledgment is permitted only under limited circumstances and is barred two (2) years after the effective date of the acknowledgment unless there is another presumed parent or genetic parent who could not reasonably have known about the birth of the child and commences a proceeding under this section within two (2) years after learning of the child’s birth.
History of Section.
P.L. 2020, ch. 59, § 2; P.L. 2020, ch. 60, § 2.