Jean MartinThe measure lets the parents seek the child back up to a year after giving birth to cover pregnancy costs retroactively.
The Republican-led Kentucky senate overwhelmingly passed a bill on Tuesday, granting the right to collect child support for unborn children, marking a significant step forward for a measure that received bipartisan support.
Details of Senate Bill 110
The bill, known as Senate Bill 110, allows a parent to seek child support for pregnancy expenses up to a year after giving birth. It passed the Senate with a vote of 36-2 and is now set to advance to the House for further consideration.
Bipartisan Support and Republican Supermajorities
Despite Kentucky’s Republican supermajorities in both chambers, Senate Bill 110 received broad bipartisan support.
Republican state senator Whitney Westerfield, a staunch abortion opponent and sponsor of the bill, highlighted the importance of recognizing the financial obligations associated with pregnancy.
Time Limit and Retroactive Child Support
The measure includes a strict time limit, allowing parents to retroactively seek child support for pregnancy expenses only within a year after the birth of the child. This ensures that child support orders are in place within a reasonable timeframe.
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Similar Measures Across States
Kentucky joins at least six other states in considering measures similar to Georgia’s law, which allows child support to be sought back to conception.
Some states, like Utah, have also introduced pregnancy tax breaks or income tax deductions for dependent children before birth.
Revision of the Bill
Senate Bill 110 underwent significant revisions before its passage in the senate.
The original version would have allowed child support actions at any time following conception, but it was amended to apply retroactively only after the birth of the child within the designated time limit.
