House Bill No. [insert number] proposes significant amendments to child support laws in Montana, establishing that a father's financial obligation begins at conception. The bill allows courts to award child support retroactively to the month of conception, as determined by a licensed healthcare provider. It also stipulates that if paternity is contested and the mother objects to genetic testing during pregnancy, support cannot be awarded until after the child is born. Furthermore, if a support order is issued before the child's birth and the pregnancy terminates, the support obligation will also terminate, with the mother required to notify the court of the termination.

In addition to these provisions, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) concerning child support and paternity establishment. It specifies that child support orders remain effective until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, but not beyond the child's 19th birthday unless emancipated earlier. The bill also introduces requirements for the department to serve notices of financial responsibility and allows for administrative hearings to be conducted via teleconference. Key changes include provisions for delaying genetic testing if the mother objects, the ability to commence paternity proceedings before birth, and the court's authority to order paternity tests upon request. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(1): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(2): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(3): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(4): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(5): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(6): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1(7): 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116
HB0288_1: 40-4-204, 40-5-225, 40-5-226, 40-5-232, 40-5-233, 40-6-107, 40-6-112, 40-6-116