This WI bill proposed to use those words only in in the context of IVF. It also does not call for replacing father with spouse, but rather with parent or natural parent. It is meant to address the complexities of surrogacy and for same sex couples who conceive via IVF.
In my opinion, this does not change the meaning of mother or father in the sense of bring the people who are responsible for raising the child and in fact makes it clearer that donating sperm or eggs does not make a person the mother or father. And for the inseminated person, it clarifies who gets the medical care.
So, in this limited context, I have no issue with it.
I had to research a bit after reading your question. (And I appreciate having the issue brought to my attention with your question.)
Without realizing the article was from a self-proclaimed far right newsgroup, I read about a female Republican politician strongly bemoaning how the bill's wordings or whatever, would take away her deep love and feelings of being a mother. How dare this Democratic politician put this bill forward.
My first reaction was, "Hey, years ago, the current Republican president had official election signs and flags telling me "Fu** Your Feelings" and vote for him. So, female Republican politician, get with your man -- Get over it. A name is just a name. This evil Democrat is only doing what the current Republican president is doing, declaring name changes -- Gulf of America, Denali is back to Mount McKinley. English is the official language of USA."
A mother by any other name is still a mother. Get over it.
The rationale of the language proposals in the proposed bill made sense to me. I do understand how some may disagree with it but, after what I have seen in my life from the current Republican president, I have little sympathy at the moment for that very upset Republican mother, at this time of night, on this date. I might change my mind, I don't know.
Only in the case of IVF. A surrogate is the "inseminated person", the mother is the female caregiver of the child to be born, who may or may not be the donor of the ova. Otherwise adoptive mothers are not "mothers", and every adopted child in the world calls their female caregiver "mom" if they were young enough when adopted not to know any other. The "inseminated person" receives the medical care, GYN/OB. The mom-to-be doesn't require that, she's not about to give birth.
Element 99 