ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PARENTAGE S.B. 749: FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 749 (as reported without amendment) Sponsor: Senator Robert Geake
Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services
The bill would create the “Acknowledgment of Parentage Act” to:
-- Provide that a child’s mother and a man could sign an acknowledgment of parentage form that would establish paternity.
-- Require completed forms to be filed with the State Registrar, who would have to review and file them in a central registry.
-- Require a form to contain specific notices to the parties, including notice that the acknowledgment would waive genetic testing and a trial to determine paternity.
-- Provide that after a mother and father signed an acknowledgment, the mother would be presumed to have custody of the minor child unless otherwise ordered or agreed.
-- Require the State Registrar to prepare and approve the form and make it available to the public.
-- Provide that a child’s mother, a man signing an acknowledgment, a child, or a prosecuting attorney could file a claim for revocation of an acknowledgment.
The bill would take effect on October 1, 1996.
Legislative Analyst: L. Burghardt
The estimated cost of establishing and maintaining the central registry that would be required under the bill would be approximately $300,000. It appears that Federal funds would be available through the Department of Social Services to cover at least a portion of the costs of the new registry.
Date Completed: 1-17-96 Fiscal Analyst: P. Graham
C. Cole
M. Bain
floor\749
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.