The bill, H.B. No. 1671, aims to amend the Family Code in Texas regarding the establishment of parentage and the obligations for retroactive child support. Key provisions include the presumption that it is in the best interest of the child for a court to order retroactive child support starting from the date of conception, as determined by medical evidence or other relevant testimony. Additionally, the bill mandates that courts order obligors to cover an equitable portion of prenatal and postnatal health care expenses and confirms the total amount of retroactive child support owed through a cumulative money judgment.

The bill also modifies existing laws related to the acknowledgment of paternity, stating that such acknowledgments take effect upon filing with the vital statistics unit. It allows for genetic testing requests to be made only by the pregnant mother before the child's birth and clarifies that proceedings to determine parentage initiated before birth cannot conclude until after the child's birth unless commenced by the mother. Furthermore, it requires that orders adjudicating parentage identify the unborn child by the expected date of birth and mandates amendments to include the child's name and date of birth post-birth. The changes will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply only to orders and acknowledgments executed after this date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Family Code 154.131, Family Code 160.304, Family Code 160.502, Family Code 160.506, Family Code 160.611, Family Code 160.636 (Family Code 160, Family Code 154)