Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB63 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HB63INTRODUCED
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3	3	HB63
4	4	C2A6JJW-1
5	5	By Representative Sellers
6	6	RFD: Judiciary
7	7	First Read: 04-Feb-25
8	8	PFD: 07-Nov-24
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14	14	6 C2A6JJW-1 11/01/2024 GP (L)lg 2024-2717
15	15	Page 1
16	16	PFD: 07-Nov-24
17	17	SYNOPSIS:
18	18	Under existing law, following the birth of a
19	19	child to an unmarried woman in the hospital, the
20	20	alleged father may execute a voluntary acknowledgment
21	21	of paternity with consent of the mother. An
22	22	acknowledgment of paternity constitutes a legal finding
23	23	of paternity and confers all rights and duties of a
24	24	parent on the acknowledged father.
25	25	This bill would provide that, in any proceeding
26	26	relating to child custody, visitation, rights, or child
27	27	support, a valid voluntary acknowledgment of paternity
28	28	creates certain rebuttable presumptions in favor of
29	29	joint custody and shared parenting time.
30	30	This bill would create a rebuttable presumption
31	31	in those proceedings that a parent may not remove the
32	32	child from the state without the permission of the
33	33	other parent or the court.
34	34	This bill would also provide exceptions in cases
35	35	of domestic or family violence.
36	36	A BILL
37	37	TO BE ENTITLED
38	38	AN ACT
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66	66	28 HB63 INTRODUCED
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68	68	Relating to child custody; to amend Section 26-17-305,
69	69	Code of Alabama 1975; to create certain rebuttable
70	70	presumptions relating to the best interest of a child in
71	71	proceedings where a valid acknowledgment of paternity exists;
72	72	and to provide exceptions.
73	73	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
74	74	Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
75	75	The Good Dad Act.
76	76	Section 2. Section 26-17-305, Code of Alabama 1975, is
77	77	amended to read as follows:
78	78	"§26-17-305
79	79	(a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 26-17-307
80	80	and 26-17-308, a valid acknowledgment of paternity filed with
81	81	the Alabama Office of Vital Statistics shall be considered is
82	82	a legal finding of paternity of a child and confers upon the
83	83	acknowledged father all of the rights and duties of a parent.
84	84	(b) An acknowledgment of paternity shall be is a
85	85	legally sufficient basis for establishing an obligation for
86	86	child support and for the expenses of the mother's pregnancy
87	87	and confinement.
88	88	(c)(1) Except as provided in Section 30-3-131, in any
89	89	proceeding related to child custody, visitation rights, or
90	90	child support, an acknowledgment of paternity creates a
91	91	presumption, rebuttable by a preponderance of evidence, that
92	92	each of the following are in the best interest of the child:
93	93	a. Joint custody.
94	94	b. That if a parent lives within 40 miles of his or her
95	95	child, both parents are entitled to equal rights and
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123	123	56 HB63 INTRODUCED
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125	125	child, both parents are entitled to equal rights and
126	126	responsibilities for major decisions concerning the child and
127	127	equally shared joint physical custody.
128	128	c. That neither parent may remove the child from the
129	129	state of residence without consent of the other parent or
130	130	permission from the court.
131	131	(2) In determining whether the presumptions provided in
132	132	subdivision (1) are in the best interest of the child, the
133	133	court shall consider the same factors considered in awarding
134	134	any other custody arrangement and the factors provided in
135	135	Section 30-3-152.
136	136	(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term
137	137	"parent" refers to an acknowledged father and a mother. "
138	138	Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
139	139	1, 2025.
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