A bill that would extend the time for men to prove paternity fraud passed the Senate Judiciary Committee.

House Bill 2270, by Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, and Sen. Chris Kidd, R-Addington, would extend until a child’s 18th birthday the right of a judge to determine paternity fraud, freeing men from paying child support for children found not to be their biological heirs. Current statute limits questions of paternity to two years after a child’s birth

“There are cases that have come before the courts in which a man is proven not to be the father of a child and in which actual fraud is proven, and yet he was forced to continue to support the child,” West said. “Fraud in any form should not be tolerated. If a man has raised a child and wants to continue paying support for that child, that is fine. But if fraud occurs and a man is told he is a father when he is not, he should be freed from that obligation. This bill also allows men who may not know they are a father to choose be more actively involved in their child’s life if paternity is proven after the two-year limit.”

HB 2270 is now eligible to be heard by the full Senate. If passed, it can advance to the governor to be signed into law.