House Bill 344 Summary

• Creates new Section 93-9-10 establishing circumstances for legal fathers to disestablish paternity and terminate child support obligations when genetic testing proves they are not the biological father, with limited exceptions for those who knowingly assumed parental duties or signed court-approved paternity agreements.

• Allows a parent receiving Social Security Disability Insurance payments to receive credit toward child support arrearages for disability benefit payments made for the benefit of minor children if the arrearage accrued after the disability onset date.

• Modifies paternity acknowledgment rescission periods from 60 days to one (1) year, with the time period tolled while genetic testing is pending through the Department of Human Services.

• Requires the Department of Human Services to notify both parents every three (3) years of their right to request a child support order review and mandates automatic review for TANF recipients.

• Deletes sunset provisions (reverters and repealers) from sections governing enforcement of child support judgments and withholding orders by the Department of Human Services; effective July 1, 2011.