Child support; creating the Paternal Responsibility Act; making certain persons financially liable for certain prenatal care; establishing certain procedures for certain actions. Effective date. Emergency.
Impact
The introduction of SB656 potentially impacts existing state laws related to child support and parental obligations. By codifying the financial responsibility for prenatal care, the bill seeks to ensure that fathers contribute to the costs associated with the pregnancy. This legislation aims to address gaps in support for mothers during pregnancy by making it clear that expectant fathers have a legal obligation to provide financial assistance for prenatal health care. The bill also permits actions for establishing paternity to be brought by various parties, which adds a legal pathway for asserting responsibilities prior to the child's birth.
Summary
Senate Bill 656, known as the Paternal Responsibility Act, aims to establish a clear framework for financial obligations concerning prenatal care and child support for expectant fathers. The bill outlines that the biological father or second parent shall be financially responsible for covering medically necessary prenatal care for the mother unless there are binding agreements stating otherwise. The financial responsibility is specified to either cover half of the mother's out-of-pocket expenses or the amount that would be owed in child support following the child’s birth, whichever figure is smaller. This approach modifies existing child support laws by including prenatal care in the financial obligations, representing a notable shift towards recognizing the financial duty of parents even before the child's delivery.
Contention
Notably, the bill stipulates penalties for individuals who willfully fail to pay their established support obligations, with consequences including potential jail time for repeated offenders. This provision has generated concern among some advocacy groups who argue that punitive measures may place an undue burden on already struggling parents. Additionally, the bill explicitly states that fathers or second parents cannot be held financially responsible for abortion-related services, which could be a point of contention amid ongoing debates surrounding reproductive rights and health care policies. Overall, the Paternal Responsibility Act highlights the tensions between ensuring financial support for mothers and enforcing legal obligations on fathers.
Carry Over
Child support; creating the Paternal Responsibility Act; making certain persons financially liable for certain prenatal care; establishing certain procedures for certain actions. Effective date. Emergency.
Child support; creating the Paternal Responsibility Act; making certain persons financially liable for certain prenatal care; establishing certain procedures for certain actions. Effective date. Emergency.
Censorship of social media; creating cause of action for deletion or censorship of certain speech, establishing procedures for certain actions. Effective date.
Vital records; directing State Department of Health to issue pre-birth certificates under certain conditions; granting pre-birth certificates certain validity. Effective date.
Child care; providing certain identification procedure for findings of report; making person liable for certain false complaints; directing establishment of scope and severity grid. Effective date.