Texas bill would allow child support to begin from conception
How would Texas SB 942 impact child support?
Fathers could be ordered to pay child support from the moment of conception under a bill that passed the Texas Senate this week. The bill still needs to pass the House. FOX 26 Senior Legal Analyst Chris Tritico talks about the impact of the proposed law.
Fathers could be ordered to pay retroactive child support from the moment of conception under a bill that passed the Texas Senate this week.
How does child support currently work?
The backstory:
Currently in Texas, child support doesn’t take effect until the child is born. Retroactive child support is typically limited to four years back from the time of filing, unless there is evidence the man knew or should have known he was the father and tried to avoid supporting the child.
What is SB 942?
Dig deeper:
Under Texas SB 942, a judge could order retroactive child support payments beginning on the date of conception, instead of at birth.
The father would be responsible for a share of reasonable and necessary prenatal and postnatal healthcare expenses.
Paternity would have to be established. The date of conception would be determined by a doctor or through other evidence, such as a parent’s testimony.
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Bill heads to the House
What's next:
The bill is not law yet. The House would have to pass it, and then the governor would need to sign it.
The Source: The information