BILL ANALYSIS


                                                     C.S.S.B. 121
                                                       By: Harris
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          2-14-95
                                   Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND

A biological father is often not identified in birth or other
hospital records.  Identifying a biological father early often
makes it easier to establish child support orders.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 121 establishes a program to increase
voluntary paternity acknowledgement at a hospital birth.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 192.003, Health and Safety Code, by
amending Subsections (d)-(f) as follows:

     (e) Requires a person listed by Subsection (a) or (b) who is
     responsible for filing the birth certificate, if the child's
     parents are not married, to provide an opportunity for the
     child's mother and biological father to sign the birth
     certificate or a form in which the biological father consents
     to be named as the child's father on the birth certificate,
     and to provide information about establishing paternity,
     including an explanation of the rights and responsibilities of
     acknowledging paternity and information about the availability
     of child support services, to the child's mother and the
     father, if present.  Deletes existing Subsection (d), setting
     forth specific individuals responsible for providing the
     opportunity to establish paternity or information about doing
     so.
     
     (f)-(g) Redesignate existing Subsections (e) and (f).
SECTION 2. Effective date:  September 1, 1995.
           Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.