2018 District of Columbia Code
Title 16 - Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]
Chapter 9 - Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc.
§ 16–909.04. Voluntary paternity acknowledgment program for birth records agency.

(a) The Registrar of Vital Records shall offer to any person seeking to file or amend a birth certificate that does not include the names of 2 parents:

(1) Written materials concerning paternity establishment;

(2) Forms necessary to acknowledge paternity voluntarily that meet the federal requirements;

(3) A written and oral description of the alternatives to, the legal consequences of, and the rights and responsibilities that arise from, signing a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity (the oral description may be videotaped or audiotaped);

(4) Written notice that a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is not effectuated unless the mother and putative father each signs the form under oath and a notary authenticates the signatures;

(5) The services of a notary on the premises;

(6) The opportunity to speak, by telephone or in person, with staff of the IV-D agency or Registrar who are trained to clarify information and answer questions about paternity establishment; and

(7) The opportunity to acknowledge paternity voluntarily at the birth records agency.

(b) The Registrar of Vital Records shall establish procedures for the recording in the records of the Registrar, and for the transmittal to the IV-D agency of completed voluntary acknowledgments of paternity, and of information contained in an acknowledgment that may be used in the establishment or enforcement of a support order.

(Apr. 3, 2001, D.C. Law 13-269, § 106(f), 48 DCR 1270; July 18, 2008, D.C. Law 18-33, § 3(g), 56 DCR 4269.)

D.C. Law 18-33 substituted “the names of 2 parents” for “a father’s name”.

For temporary (90 day) addition of this section, see § 105(f) of the Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Emergency Amendment Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-446, November 7, 2000, 47 DCR 9213).

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 106(f) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-5, February 13, 2001, 48 DCR 2440).

For temporary (225 day) addition of section, see § 105(f) of Child Support and Welfare Reform Compliance Temporary Amendment Act of 2000 (D.C. Law 13-207, March 31, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 3238).

Section 28(b)(1) of D.C. Law 15-354 provided that the section designation of § 16-901.4 of the District of Columbia Official Code is redesignated as § 16-901.04.