Tennessee House Passes Child Support Bill

Under a new bill just passed by the Tennessee House, men can stop making child support payments if DNA testing proves they are not the child's biological father.

House Bill 805, also dubbed the "Baby Daddy Bill," was passed on a vote of 66-24.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville), who said the bill was designed for fairness.  He said DNA testing has shown that one out of four men listed as the father on a birth certificate was actually not the father of the child.

"I think this will help those people who did not realize they were deceived and are making child support payments for a child who is not their's," said Campfield.

However, the bill was not passed without some debate.  Rep. Mark Maddox (D-Dresden) questioned what would happened to the child if payments were cut off.

"What about the child? Suddenly this woman--yes she did wrong--is going to be left to fend for herself and that child. Maybe the real father can be found. Maybe not."

The bill does not apply to cases in which a man has legally adopted the child.  Furthermore, a provision of the bill says that child support payments must be made for 60 days after childhood is "disestablished."

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