Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 19
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHASSION
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To authorize and direct the Louisiana State Law Institute to study filiation proceedings and
the presumption of paternity and to report its findings to the Legislature of Louisiana
no later than February 1, 2027.
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 178 provides that filiation is the legal relationship
between a child and his parent; and
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 179 provides that filiation is established by proof of
maternity or paternity or by adoption; and
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 185 provides that the husband of the mother is
presumed to be the father of a child born during the marriage or within three hundred days
from the date of the termination of the marriage; and
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 187 provides that the husband may disavow paternity
of the child by clear and convincing evidence that he is not the father; and
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 190.1 provides that if blood or tissue sampling
indicates that the biological father is the father of the child and not the former husband, the
mother, biological father, and former husband may execute a three-party acknowledgment;
and
WHEREAS, if a three-party acknowledgment is executed, the former husband is not
presumed to be the father of the child and the biological father who has acknowledged the
child is the presumed father; and
WHEREAS, there is no presumption of parentage if the mother is unmarried at the
time the child is born; and
Page 1 of 2
HCR NO. 19 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, R.S. 9:392(A)(3) provides that if the alleged father does not
acknowledge the child, the mother has the right to file a paternity suit to establish paternity;
and
WHEREAS, the presumption of paternity could cause harm to families; and
WHEREAS, many families cannot afford court costs to establish paternity and suing
to establish paternity could be an undue burden; and
WHEREAS, it may be in the best interest of Louisiana families to not have a
presumption of paternity.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
authorize and direct the Louisiana State Law Institute to study filiation and the presumption
of paternity to determine if it is feasible to remove the presumption of paternity and to report
its findings to the Legislature of Louisiana no later than February 1, 2027.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
director of the Louisiana State Law Institute.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana State Law Institute shall submit
one printed copy and one electronic copy of any report produced pursuant to this Resolution
to the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library as required by R.S. 24:772.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2