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SB 942

Relating to a court order for retroactive child support, including for retroactive child support beginning on the date of the child's conception.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Hillary Hickland and 4 co-sponsors

Texas bill authorizes courts to order child support retroactively to conception, potentially creating financial obligations for months before birth or legal paternity establishment.

Committee report sent to Calendars
#courts--general(i0160) #family--childsupport(i0352) #paternity(s0022)
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Bill Summary · SB 942

Legislative bill overview

SB 942 would authorize Texas courts to order retroactive child support payments dating back to a child's conception rather than only from the date a support case is filed or when a child is born. This represents a significant expansion of when child support obligations can legally begin, potentially affecting paternity cases and establishing financial responsibility earlier in a child's life.

Why is this important

Child support is a major financial obligation affecting millions of Texans. This bill could dramatically increase the financial liability for non-custodial parents by extending obligations backward several months before birth, fundamentally changing how courts calculate total support owed. It also raises questions about fairness, notice, and the practical enforceability of retroactive obligations for periods when parentage may not have been established.

Potential points of contention

  • Conception-based liability: Establishing legal financial obligations from conception raises due process concerns about when someone can be held financially responsible for a child whose existence wasn't legally recognized until later
  • Retroactive burden: Non-custodial parents could face unexpectedly large accumulated support debts for periods they had no opportunity to comply with court orders
  • Paternity determination timing: The bill creates ambiguity about how conception-date obligations interact with paternity establishment and whether alleged fathers face retroactive liability before paternity is proven

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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