Act No. 364

Public Acts of 2014

Approved by the Governor

December 17, 2014

Filed with the Secretary of State

December 17, 2014

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 17, 2015

STATE OF MICHIGAN

97TH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2014

Introduced by Rep. Denby

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 5463

AN ACT to amend 1956 PA 205, entitled “An act to confer upon circuit courts jurisdiction over proceedings to compel and provide support of children born out of wedlock; to prescribe the procedure for determination of such liability; to authorize agreements providing for furnishing of such support and to provide for the enforcement thereof; and to prescribe penalties for the violation of certain provisions of this act,” by amending sections 6 and 7 (MCL 722.716 and 722.717), section 6 as amended by 2000 PA 31 and section 7 as amended by 2009 PA 235.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 6. (1) In a proceeding under this act before trial, the court, upon application made by or on behalf of either party, or on its own motion, shall order that the mother, child, and alleged father submit to blood or tissue typing determinations that may include, but are not limited to, determinations of red cell antigens, red cell isoenzymes, human leukocyte antigens, serum proteins, or DNA identification profiling, to determine whether the alleged father is likely to be, or is not, the father of the child. If the court orders a blood or tissue typing or DNA identification profiling to be conducted and a party refuses to submit to the typing or DNA identification profiling, in addition to any other remedies available, the court may do either of the following:

(a) Enter a default judgment at the request of the appropriate party.

(b) If a trial is held, allow the disclosure of the fact of the refusal unless good cause is shown for not disclosing the fact of refusal.

(2) A blood or tissue typing or DNA identification profiling shall be conducted by a person accredited for paternity determinations by a nationally recognized scientific organization, including, but not limited to, the American association of blood banks.

(3) The court shall fix the compensation of an expert at a reasonable amount and may direct the compensation to be paid by the county or by any other party to the case, or by both in the proportions and at the times the court prescribes. Before blood or tissue typing or DNA identification profiling is conducted, the court may order a part or all of the compensation paid in advance. If the department of human services paid for the genetic testing expenses, the court may order repayment by the alleged father if the court declares paternity. Documentation of the genetic testing expenses is admissible as evidence of the amount, which evidence constitutes prima facie evidence of the amount of those expenses without third party foundation testimony.

(4) Subject to subsection (5), the result of blood or tissue typing or a DNA identification profile and the summary report shall be served on the mother and alleged father. The summary report shall be filed with the court. Objection to the DNA identification profile or summary report is waived unless made in writing, setting forth the specific basis for the objection, within 14 calendar days after service on the mother and alleged father. The court shall not schedule a trial on the issue of paternity until after the expiration of the 14-day period. If an objection is not filed, the court shall admit in proceedings under this act the result of the blood or tissue typing or the DNA identification profile and the summary report without requiring foundation testimony or other proof of authenticity or accuracy. If an objection is filed within the 14-day period, on the motion of either party, the court shall hold a hearing to determine the admissibility of the DNA identification profile or summary report. The objecting party has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence by a qualified person described in subsection (2) that foundation testimony or other proof of authenticity or accuracy is necessary for admission of the DNA identification profile or summary report.

(5) If the probability of paternity determined by the qualified person described in subsection (2) conducting the blood or tissue typing or DNA identification profiling is 99% or higher, and the DNA identification profile and summary report are admissible as provided in subsection (4), paternity is established. If the results of the analysis of genetic testing material from 2 or more persons indicate a probability of paternity greater than 99%, the contracting laboratory shall conduct additional genetic paternity testing until all but 1 of the putative fathers is eliminated, unless the dispute involves 2 or more putative fathers who have identical DNA.

(6) This section does not abrogate the right of either party to child support from the date of birth of the child if applicable under section 7.

Sec. 7. (1) In an action under this act, the court shall enter an order of filiation declaring paternity and providing for the support of the child under 1 or more of the following circumstances:

(a) The finding of the court or the verdict determines that the man is the father.

(b) The defendant acknowledges paternity either orally to the court or by filing with the court a written acknowledgment of paternity.

(c) The defendant is served with summons and a default judgment is entered against him or her.

(d) Genetic testing under section 6 determines that the man is the father.

(2) An order of filiation entered under subsection (1) shall specify the sum to be paid weekly or otherwise, as prescribed in section 5 of the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.605, until the child reaches the age of 18. Subject to section 5b of the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.605b, the court may also order support for a child after he or she reaches 18 years of age. In addition to providing for the support of the child, the order shall also provide for the payment of the necessary expenses connected to the mother’s pregnancy and the birth of the child and for the funeral expenses if the child has died, as determined by the court under section 2. A child support obligation is only retroactive to the date that the paternity complaint was filed unless any of the following circumstances exist:

(a) The defendant was avoiding service of process.

(b) The defendant threatened or coerced through domestic violence or other means the complainant not to file a proceeding under this act.

(c) The defendant otherwise delayed the imposition of a support obligation.

(3) A judgment or order entered under this act providing for the support of a child or payment of expenses connected to the mother’s pregnancy or the birth of the child is enforceable as provided in the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.601 to 552.650. If this act contains a specific provision regarding the contents or enforcement of a support order that conflicts with a provision in the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.601 to 552.650, this act controls in regard to that provision.

(4) Upon entry of an order of filiation, the clerk of the court shall collect a fee of $9.00 for entering the order and the fee imposed by section 2891(9)(a) of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.2891, from the person against whom the order of filiation is entered. The clerk shall retain the $9.00 fee and remit the fee imposed by section 2891(9)(a) of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.2891, with a written report of the order of filiation, to the director of the department of community health. The report shall be on a form prescribed by or in a manner approved by the director of the department of community health. Regardless of whether the fees required by this section are collected, the clerk shall transmit and the department of community health shall receive the report of the order of filiation.

(5) If an order of filiation or acknowledgment of parentage is abrogated by a later judgment or order of a court, the clerk of the court that entered the order shall immediately communicate that fact to the director of the department of community health on a form prescribed by the director of the department of community health. An order of filiation supersedes an acknowledgment of parentage.

(6) Within the time prescribed by court rule, the party, attorney, or agency that secures the signing of an order of filiation shall serve a copy of the order on all parties to the action and file proof of service with the court clerk.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days after the date it is enacted into law.

Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect unless all of the following bills of the 97th Legislature are enacted into law:

(a) House Bill No. 5464.

(b) House Bill No. 5465.

(c) House Bill No. 5583.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Secretary of the Senate

Approved

Governor