Relating to paternity and the obligation of parents for support of children

This bill amends Code chapter 600B (paternity and obligation for support) to allow an alleged father of a child, the child’s mother, or the child to file a complaint to establish paternity of the child and an obligation for support of the child. Under current law, the proceedings under Code chapter 600B may be brought only by the mother, or other interested person, or if the child is or is likely to be a public charge, by the authorities charged with the child’s support. The bill makes conforming changes throughout the Code chapter to provide that the alleged father may also be the complainant or plaintiff. The bill includes an alleged father as a party that may request blood or genetic testing in a proceeding to establish paternity, and provides that a mother or alleged father requesting the testing shall file an affidavit with the court that alleges or denies paternity and contains facts that establish the reasonable possibility that there was, or was not, the requisite sexual contact between the mother and the alleged father.