HB1973

Pennsylvania HB1973 amends paternity laws to allow courts to determine paternity in civil actions and to establish default orders for paternity when.

Pennsylvania HB1973 amends Title 23 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to change how paternity is determined when disputed. The bill specifies that paternity determinations for children born out of wedlock must be made by the court in civil actions without a jury. It also allows putative fathers to initiate civil actions to establish paternity. The burden of proof is set at a preponderance of the evidence. Bills for pregnancy, childbirth, postnatal care, and genetic testing are admissible as evidence without requiring third-party foundation testimony.