TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Mar 17, 2022

A bill that would require DNA proof of paternity before an unmarried man signs a child's birth certificate is making its way through the state legislature, News 5 reports. The bill, HB2698, is sponsored by Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis. It passed the House Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee yesterday and now heads to the Civil Justice Committee. The Senate version of the bill was scheduled for a floor vote today. Parkinson says the bill is necessary to protect those forced to pay child support after finding out a child they thought was their own was not. The Tennessee Department of Human Services has expressed concern that the proposal could affect compliance with federal regulations.