Maryland Family Law Section 5-1002

      (a)      The General Assembly finds that:

            (1)      this State has a duty to improve the deprived social and economic status of children born out of wedlock; and

            (2)      the policies and procedures in this subtitle are socially necessary and desirable.

      (b)      The purpose of this subtitle is:

            (1)      to promote the general welfare and best interests of children born out of wedlock by securing for them, as nearly as practicable, the same rights to support, care, and education as children born in wedlock;

            (2)      to impose on the mothers and fathers of children born out of wedlock the basic obligations and responsibilities of parenthood; and

            (3)      to simplify the procedures for determining paternity, custody, guardianship, and responsibility for the support of children born out of wedlock.

      (c)      Nothing in this subtitle may be construed to limit the right of a putative father to file a complaint to establish his paternity of a child.