New York Passes Bill Replacing ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ with Gender-Neutral Terms in Family Law
New York Democrats have passed legislation that replaces the terms “mother” and “father” with gender-neutral alternatives in the state’s Family Court Act, sending the bill to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk for a signature. The measure, which cleared the State Senate on June 2 after passing the Assembly in March, would update legal terminology to reflect modern family structures, including those formed through surrogacy, adoption, and same-sex parenting.
What the Bill Does
Senate Bill S9316, sponsored by State Sen. Luis R. Sepúlveda (D-Bronx) and Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D-Westchester), modifies the Family Court Act and related statutes governing child custody, parental rights, and parentage proceedings. Under the proposed law, “mother” becomes “gestating parent,” “father” becomes “non-gestating parent,” and “paternity” and “filiation” are replaced with “parentage.” The term “putative father” would be changed to “alleged parent.”
According to Fox News, the bill targets state child custody and parental laws specifically, not everyday language. Contrary to some viral claims amplified by conservative accounts, the legislation does not ban the words “mother” and “father” in everyday speech, education, or private life — it only updates legal terminology in state statutes.
Why the Change Was Proposed
The bill was not initiated by legislators but by the state’s own judicial body. In January 2025, the New York Family Court Advisory and Rules Committee — composed of family court judges and magistrates — issued a report recommending gender-neutral terminology, arguing that “overly narrow interpretations of family fail to fully meet children’s best interests.”
Assemblymember Paulin told The Advocate that the Office of Court Administration specifically requested the bill. “The Office of Court Administration asked for this bill to modernize the law to respect all families in whatever form they take,” Paulin said. “That’s all this bill does.”
The changes align with New York’s 2021 Child-Parent Security Act, which legalized gestational surrogacy and introduced the concept of “acknowledgement of parentage” for non-biological parents. Similar updates have already been enacted in California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Political Reaction
The bill has become a flashpoint in ongoing culture war debates. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for New York governor in the 2026 election, has seized on the legislation as a campaign issue. “In Kathy Hochul’s New York, ‘mom’ is now defined as ‘gestating parent,’” Blakeman wrote on social media. “Not when I’m Governor! I’ll stand up for moms and dads against this insanity.”
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) also criticized the measure, writing: “The party that can’t define a woman is now rewriting New York law to erase mothers and fathers. Only in Albany could ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ become too controversial.”
Gerard Kassar, chair of the Conservative Party of New York State, described the bill as “woke culture run amok” and “an example of how out of tune the New York legislature is,” according to reporting by the New York Post cited by The Advocate.
Governor’s Decision Pending
Governor Hochul has until the end of 2026 to review and decide on the legislation. When asked about the bill during a news conference, she declined to comment, stating: “I have until the end of the year to review them and make a decision, so I won’t be commenting on pending legislation.”
A fact-check by Snopes rated the core claim about the bill’s language changes as “True,” while emphasizing that the legislation does not outlaw or ban the terms “mother” and “father” in everyday usage. The fact-check noted that the bill simply broadens the legal definition of “parent” to include those who may lack biological bonds to a child, such as adoptive and LGBTQ+ parents.
What’s Next
If signed into law, New York would join a growing number of states modernizing family law terminology to accommodate diverse family structures. The practical effect on family court proceedings would likely be minimal, as courts already handle cases involving same-sex parents, adoptive families, and children born through surrogacy. However, the political implications are significant: the bill provides campaign ammunition for Republicans in the gubernatorial race while potentially energizing Democratic and LGBTQ+ voters. Governor Hochul’s decision — expected by the end of the year — will be closely watched as a bellwether for how the state navigates the intersection of legal modernization and cultural politics.