You know the saying, 'it takes a village to raise a child'? Well, it isn't quite a village but it would be a step in that direction. If approved, Senate Bill 1476, introduced by State Senator Mark Leno, would allow children to have multiple legal parents.

The logic behind the bill is to spare children from having to go through ugly custody battles where parent is pitted against parent while their child watches from the sideline. The new law, now under consideration in the State Assembly, applies to any parent, whether gay, straight, male or female,

Of course, the bill is not without some opposition, especially from some religious groups and social conservatives who say the bill is an assault on marriage.

State Senator Leno thinks the opposite. “We live in a world today where courts face the diverse circumstances that have reshaped California families,” said Leno in a statement. “This legislation gives courts the flexibility to protect the best interests of a child who is being supported financially and emotionally by those parents. It is critical that judges have the ability to recognize the roles of all parents, especially when a family is in distress and a child’s security is a concern.”