HR428: HR428 House Study Committee on the Affordability and Accessibility of Georgia's Legitimation Process; create

25 LC 57 0252 House Resolution 428 By: Representatives Reese of the 140th, Hugley of the 141st, Buckner of the 137th, Smith of the 138th, and Rice of the 139th A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on the Affordability and Acc essibility of Georgia's1 Legitimation Process; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, in Georgia, a biological father who is not married to the mother of his child at3 the time of such child's birth must file a separate legal petition in order to legitimate the child4 and obtain legal rights as a parent; and5 WHEREAS, the benefit of having two parents responsible for a ch ild is known to have a6 positive effect on a child's welfare; and7 WHEREAS, in Georgia, biological fathers who wish to obtain pare ntal rights to their8 children are discouraged from doing so, often due to a lack of resources or awareness of the9 costs associated with legitimation; and10 WHEREAS, it is worth considering whether the legitimation proce ss in Georgia may be11 improved in a way that yields it more affordable and accessible , particularly for those12 biological fathers with limited financial resources.13 H. R. 428 - 1 - 25 LC 57 0252 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:14 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee15 on the Affordability and Accessibility of Georgia's Legitimation Process.16 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of five members of the17 House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate18 a member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.19 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,20 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or21 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.22 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee23 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or24 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and25 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.26 (5) Allowances and funding. The legislative members of the committee shall receive27 the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Offic ial Code of Georgia28 Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any29 member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. 30 Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds31 appropriated to the House of Representatives.32 (6) Report.33 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that34 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the35 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to36 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.37 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for38 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)39 of this paragraph.40 H. R. 428 - 2 - 25 LC 57 0252 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of41 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.42 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with43 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.44 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the45 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu46 thereof.47 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.48 H. R. 428 - 3 -