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Florida is one of four states whose birth certificates don’t reflect the changes in modern parenting, But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, legislation trying to modernize the wording on Florida birth certificates is running into some opposition.

In Florida, by law, parents are still listed as Father and Mother on birth certificates. Lesbian couples who give birth must petition a judge if they want to be listed as the mother, the spouse or the parent.

Carlos Smith from Equality Florida says the legalization of same sex marriages means Florida birth certificates should reflect modern realities.

“Parental presumption is one of the many rights which is afforded to marriage, and so if a same sex couple is married, one of the rights that they have is the right to an accurate birth certificate so they can be treated in the exact same way as opposite sex couples.“

But Sponsor David Richardson (D-Miami) says Florida is one of four states in which the Department of Health doesn’t have the authority to list same sex couples as parents.

“We have always assumed we know who the mother is because the mother is the one bearing the child, But even that has changed given the advances in reproductive technologies.”

The legislation was approved ten nothing by a House Committee. Three members did not vote.

“Now I recognize that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle may not want to take a vote on this issue. But, they’ll let a judge do it perhaps, and then when the judges does it, they’ll cry there’re just being an activist judge and legislating from the bench” says Richardson.

Under the new legislation new parents have the right to designate what they want to be called. Their choices: mother, father, or parent.

The three other states that haven’t changed their birth certificate laws include Wisconsin, Indianan, and Arkansas.