The bill amends R.S. 40:46.12(E) to update the regulations surrounding hospital-based paternity programs in Louisiana. It establishes that a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity must be signed by both parents and authenticated by a notary, but it removes the requirement for the presence or signature of two witnesses. Additionally, the bill clarifies that any acknowledgment of paternity obtained through this program will have the same legal standing as an authentic act for the purposes of changing or recording a child's paternity with the state registrar of vital records.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that the provisions do not apply to parents under the age of eighteen, who must establish paternity through other legal means. This legislative change aims to streamline the process of acknowledging paternity in hospital settings while ensuring that the legal rights of all parties involved are maintained.

Statutes affected:
HB535 Original: 40:12(E)
HB535 Engrossed: 40:12(E)
HB535 Enrolled: 40:12(E)
HB535 Act 304: 40:12(E)