Wa. bill would eliminate 4-year statute of limitation on child paternity cases

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- For many of us, there are very few things we take more seriously than parenthood. But imagine paying years of child support only to find out that child isn't yours?

Right now, many men in Washington state don't have a lot of options if they are in that position, but one family hopes lawmakers can change that.



Senate Bill 5461 would eliminate the 4-year statute of limitations on child paternity cases.

Currently, if the child is over 4 years old, fathers can no longer dispute their paternity as the father and are still required to pay child support for the child, even if a paternity test shows they are not the child’s father.

On his daughter’s 10th birthday, Andrew Evans found out he is not the biological father. But by law, he still must pay child support forcing him to live in a “financial prison”.

Opponents say the bill would do more harm than good, adding a child doesn’t care about genetics.

The bill is currently in the Senate Rules Committee. If it passes there it will head to the Senate floor.