Kansas

Can a known donor renounce his legal obligations as a parent?

Kansas’ donor law requires that a known donor and the recipients utilize a licensed physician to perform artificial insemination to cut off the legal rights of a known sperm donor.  In a recent case in 2012, the state of Kansas pursued a known donor (where the child was conceived through at-home insemination) for child support when the child’s mother (in a same-sex relationship) applied for government assistance for the child – despite the fact that the known donor had signed a written agreement with the intended parents stating that he would not be a legal parent of the child.

What if a known donor attempts to enforce his parental rights when the original intent was to be a sperm donor only?

This appears unlikely; in one case, the KS Supreme Court found that a sperm donor had no parental rights, as there was no agreement otherwise in writing.

Does the state allow for second-parent adoption (i.e., for same-sex couples)?

No.

Does the state allow for multiple-parent families (when the child has more than two adults in a parenting role)?

Unknown; this issue has not been addressed.

Does the state recognize “de-facto” or “psychological” parentage (of an “acting” parent without a biological connection) or a similar concept?

Unknown; this issue has not been addressed.