The laws around surrogacy in the US vary from state to state in various fashions, some states do not permit commercial surrogacy, whereas others such as California do. Uprise RI published an article recently calling for the outdated laws in Rhode Island to be updated to ensure families from all parentage are treated fairly in the eyes of the law.
In 2017 the Uniform Parentage Act was updated with this goal in mind. One of the main focuses is to ensure that same-sex parents are given equal treatment. It also declares that it focuses on adapting the act to keep up with advancements in modern technology and ever changing family dynamics. They are recognising parents that have responsibility for the child, even when not related genetically or through marriage.
There is still work to be done, at the moment there is no legal stature in place surrounding surrogacy in Rhode Island, attorney Michael Grant noted that the current system is for individual judges to build accepted practices through various cases. Having a full stature in place would ensure that all legal bodies are on the same page and avoid grey areas where possible.