Bill > HB281

This bill establishes new legal provisions for child support obligations for unborn children in Missouri, introducing several key provisions. The bill defines a "putative father" as an alleged or presumed father who has filed a notice of intent to claim paternity or a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, and an "unborn child" as the offspring of human beings from the moment of conception until birth. Under this legislation, a putative father or established biological father may be required to pay child support for an unborn child if the mother petitions the court within two years of the child's birth, with support payments potentially including the months of pregnancy. Child support obligations would begin six weeks from conception, as determined by the mother's physician, and payments can be retroactively collected. The amount of child support will be determined by a court in consultation with the mother, considering the best interests of the mother and child. Importantly, if paternity is later established to belong to someone other than the original putative father, that father may seek reimbursement from the actual biological father for any child support already paid. The bill applies specifically to cases where paternity is not initially disputed or has been established through legal channels.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB281&year=2025&code=R