— A couple of issues have been brought to my attention recently that will be of interest to those divorced fathers and mothers paying child support who’d like to get involved in the California political process. First, Assemblyman Rod Wright (D, Los Angeles) has a bill that will make it harder for the wrong man to be identified as the father of a child born out-of-wedlock. This ensures that the appropriate party can participate in raising the child, and with supporting the child and its mother. The bill is AB 2240 Paternity Testing. Here’s the summary:
AB 2240, as introduced, Wright. Paternity testing.
(1) Existing law provides for a voluntary declaration of
paternity. Existing law requires that declaration to be executed on a
form developed by the Department of Child Support Services
containing specified information, including a statement by the mother
that the man who has signed the voluntary declaration of paternity
is the only possible father.
This bill would require the Department of Child Support Services
to consult with father’s rights advocacy groups upon further
development of that form.
(2) Existing law authorizes specified persons to bring an action
to declare or determine the existence of the father and child
relationship, as specified.
This bill would require specified persons who bring an action
pursuant to that provision to sign a declaration under penalty of
perjury that the defendant is the only possible father.
(3) Existing law authorizes a local child support agency to issue
an administrative order requiring the mother, the child, and the
alleged father to submit to genetic testing to determine paternity in
any civil action or proceeding in which paternity is a relevant fact
and a contested issue.
Existing law authorizes a party in a civil action to make a motion
to vacate a judgment within a specified period of time.
This bill would set forth procedures whereby certain persons may
move to vacate a judgment establishing paternity entered by a court
of this state after the expiration of the period of time in which a
party may generally move to vacate a judgment, as specified.
The other thing concerns an advisory panel of fathers who will meet with the state’s Department of Child Support Services once a quarter to provide input on the operation of the child support collection system.
If you’re interested in either of these things, drop me an e-mail and I’ll tell you how to get involved. You can comment on the bill by simply clicking “Comment” at the link provided.
Note to the squeamish: People bring these issues to me because there was a time when I was a fathers’ rights activist, but I’ve retired from that avocation. So if you’re an affected party and you think you can sit back and let somebody like me perform your citizenship duties for you, you’re mistaken. Either you do it yourself, or it doesn’t get done.