HB 128: "An Act relating to early acknowledgement of paternity for the child of an unmarried mother."
00HOUSE BILL NO. 128 01 "An Act relating to early acknowledgement of paternity for the child of an 02 unmarried mother." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 18.50 is amended by adding a new section to read: 05 Sec. 18.50.165. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PATERNITY; FORMS. (a) 06 The state registrar shall prepare a form for use in acknowledging paternity under 07 AS 25.20.055. The form must include 08 (1) a statement that the man who signs the form is acknowledging that 09 the man is the natural father of the child named in the form and that the man assumes 10 the parental duty of support of that child; and 11 (2) the address and social security number of the man signing the form. 12 (b) The registrar shall distribute copies of the form prepared under (a) of this 13 section to each hospital in the state, to each physician in the state whose practice 14 includes attendance at births, to each nurse-midwife and direct-entry midwife in the
01 state, and to each other interested person in the state who requests copies of the form. 02 (c) A completed form prepared under (a) of this section is presumptive 03 evidence of a parent and child relationship between the man signing the form and the 04 child named in the form if the form is signed by the man and the child's natural 05 mother in the presence of two competent and disinterested witnesses who are 18 years 06 of age or older and by the two witnesses. 07 (d) The state registrar shall keep on file all forms acknowledging paternity that 08 are submitted to the registrar under AS 25.20.055. 09 * Sec. 2. AS 25.20 is amended by adding a new section to read: 10 Sec. 25.20.055. EARLY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PATERNITY 11 PROGRAM. (a) When a birth occurs to an unmarried woman in a hospital or en 12 route to a hospital to which the woman is later admitted, the hospital shall ensure that 13 a staff member 14 (1) meets with the woman before release from the hospital; 15 (2) attempts to meet with the father of the unmarried woman's child, 16 if possible; 17 (3) explains to the mother, and to the father if present, the benefits to 18 the child of establishing a parent and child relationship between the father and the 19 child and the various proper procedures for establishing a parent and child relationship; 20 (4) presents to the mother and, if possible, the father, a pamphlet or 21 statement regarding the rights and responsibilities of a natural parent; the Department 22 of Health and Social Services shall prepare this pamphlet and distribute copies of it 23 to each hospital in the state, to each physician in the state whose practice includes 24 attendance at births, to each nurse-midwife and direct-entry midwife in the state, and 25 to other interested persons in the state who request copies; 26 (5) provides to the mother and, if possible, the father, all forms, 27 statements, or agreements necessary to voluntarily establish a parent and child 28 relationship, including an acknowledgement of paternity form prepared under 29 AS 18.50.165; 30 (6) on request of the mother and father, assists the father in completing 31 specific forms, statements, or agreements necessary to establish a parent and child
01 relationship between the father and the child; 02 (7) presents to the mother an application for assistance under AS 47.07 03 (Medicaid) or AS 47.25.310 - 47.25.420 (AFDC) if the mother is not already a 04 recipient of this assistance; and 05 (8) on request of the mother and father, mails a completed voluntary 06 acknowledgement of paternity form to the state registrar for filing under AS 18.50.165. 07 (b) When a birth occurs to an unmarried woman who is not in a hospital for 08 the birth nor admitted to a hospital immediately after the birth, and the birth is 09 attended by a physician, nurse-midwife, or direct-entry midwife, the physician, nurse-midwife, or direct-entry midwife 10 shall perform the duties described in (a)(2) - (8) of 11 this section or ensure that an agent performs those duties. 12 (c) When a birth occurs in a situation that is not covered by either (a) or (b) 13 of this section, any adult may, upon request of the father and mother, assist them in 14 filing a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity form with the state registrar under 15 AS 18.50.165.