HB0384 • 2026

Child Support - Capacity of Minors to Initiate and Defend an Action

Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates Taveras , Fennell , Hill , Kaiser , Kaufman , Lehman , Moreno , Odom , Ruff , Stinnett , Terrasa , and Wims
Last action: 2026-01-22
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Child Support - Capacity of Minors to Initiate and Defend an Action

Authorizing a minor who is the parent of a child to initiate or defend an action for child support, whether pendente lite or permanently.

What This Bill Does

Authorizing a minor who is the parent of a child to initiate or defend an action for child support, whether pendente lite or permanently.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-22 House
Hearing 2/05 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-22 House
Hearing canceled
2026-01-22 House
Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-21 House
First Reading Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Child Support - Capacity of Minors to Initiate and Defend an Action

Official Summary Text

Authorizing a minor who is the parent of a child to initiate or defend an action for child support, whether pendente lite or permanently.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0384*

HOUSE BILL 384
D4, D1 6lr1914

By: Delegates Taveras, Fennell, Hill, Kaiser, Kaufman, Lehman, Moreno, Odom,
Ruff, Stinnett, Terrasa, and Wims
Introduced and read first time: January 21, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Child Support – Capacity of Minors to Initiate and Defend an Action 2

FOR the purpose of authorizing a minor who is the parent of a child to initiate or defend 3
an action for child support; and generally relating to child support. 4

BY adding to 5
Article – Family Law 6
Section 12–106 7
Annotated Code of Marylan 8
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 11

Article – Family Law 12

12–106. 13

NOTWITHSTANDING MARYLAND RULE 2–202, A MINOR WHO IS THE P ARENT 14
OF A CHILD HAS THE CAPACITY AND RIGHT TO INITIATE OR DEFEND AN ACTION FOR 15
CHILD SUPPORT, WHETHER PENDENTE LITE OR PERMANENTLY. 16

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 17
October 1, 2026. 18