HB 154 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

CHILDREN/SUPPORT: Provides relative to paternity and the collection of child support

HB 154 modifies Louisiana law to clarify that unemancipated minors under 16 cannot legally acknowledge paternity, while 16- and 17-year-old minors require court approval to do so. The bill establishes a process where courts may grant authorization after assessing the minor’s understanding of paternity acknowledgment and the best interests of both the minor and the child. It also updates child support guidelines (R.S. 9:315.1(C)(8)) to consider the circumstances of minor parents, such as educational needs and limited financial capacity. The law directly affects teenage parents seeking to legally establish paternity for their children.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 13, 2026 Signed May 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB154 Original → HB154 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the legal framework for child support and paternity in Louisiana, specifically addressing the rights and procedures for minor parents. It adds new statutory sections to clarify when courts can deviate from standard child support guidelines and establishes a formal process for minors aged 16 or 17 to legally acknowledge paternity with judicial approval.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of child support determinations to explicitly include the educational status and financial circumstances of minor parents as factors courts must consider. It also introduces new eligibility criteria and procedural requirements for minors to execute a paternity acknowledgment.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new statutory provision (R.S. 9:315.1(C)(9)) that allows courts to deviate from standard child support guidelines by considering specific factors unique to minor parents, such as their education status and other available support sources.

Created a new legal pathway (R.S. 9:405.1 through 9:405.3) enabling unemancipated minors aged 16 or 17 to execute an acknowledgment of paternity, provided they obtain judicial authorization.

REQUIREMENT

Established new requirements for courts to ensure minor parents understand the legal consequences of paternity acknowledgment, including the right to genetic testing and the necessity of discussing the matter with their parents or guardians.

TECHNICAL

Removed the legislative digest and abstract sections, which are informational summaries not part of the actual law, replacing them with standard enrolled act formatting.

Floor votes · Senate May 11, 2026 · House Apr 13, 2026

How they voted

34–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 39

May 11, 2026

D Democratic11

8 Yea 3

72% Yea

R Republican28

26 Yea 2

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (7-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors