Genetic testing to establish paternity -- Office may determine child support or child care obligation -- Adjustment of child support or child support obligation -- Order requiring parent to work or continue educational or training activities -- Disclosure of financial records -- Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity as basis -- Administrative subpoenas to enforce
KRS 405.430
in effect405.430. Genetic testing to establish paternity -- Office may determine child support or child care obligation -- Adjustment of child support or child support obligation -- Order requiring parent to work or continue educational or training activities -- Disclosure of financial records -- Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity as basis -- Administrative subpoenas to enforce
child support obligation -- Prohibition -- Employment assistance.
(1) When a parent presents himself to the Office o f the Attorney General for the voluntary establishment of paternity and clear evidence of parentage is not present, the office shall pay when administratively ordered the cost of genetic testing to establish paternity, subject to recoupment from the allege d father when paternity is established.
(2) The Office of the Attorney General shall obtain additional testing in any case if an original test is contested, upon request and advance payment by the contestant.
(3) In a contested paternity case, the child, t he mother, and the putative father shall submit to genetic testing upon a request of any of the parties, unless the person or guardian of the person who is requested to submit to genetic testing shows good cause, taking into account the best interests of t he child, why the genetic tests cannot be performed. The request shall be supported by a sworn statement of the party, requesting that the test be performed, which shall include the information required by 42 U.S.C. sec. 666(a)(5)(B)(i) or (ii).
(4) When a parent who fails to support a child is not obligated to provide child support by court order, the Office of the Attorney General may administratively establish a child support obligation based upon a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity as set forth in KRS Chapter 406, the parent's minimum monthly child support obligation and proportionate share of child care costs incurred due to employment or job search of either parent, or incurred while receiving elementary or secondary education, or higher education or vocational training which will lead to employment. The monthly child support obligation shall be determined pursuant to the Kentucky child support guidelines set forth in KRS 403.212 or 403.2122. The actual cost of child care shall be reasonable and sha ll be allocated between the parents in the same proportion as each parent's gross income, as determined under the guidelines, bears to the total family gross income.
(5) The Office of the Attorney General shall recognize a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity as a basis for seeking a support order, irrespective of the alleged father's willingness to consent to a support order.
(6) When in the best interest of the child, the Office of the Attorney General may review and adjust a parent's child support oblig ation or child care obligation as established by the office, upon a request of the office when an assignment has been made, or upon either parent's petition if the amount of the child support awarded under the order differs from the amount that would be aw arded in accordance with KRS 403.212 or 403.2122. The Office of the Attorney General shall notify parents at least once every three (3) years of the right to a review.
(7) In establishing or modifying a parent's monthly child support obligation, the Office of the Attorney General may use automated methods to identify orders eligible for review, conduct the review, identify orders eligible for adjustment, and apply the adjustment to eligible orders in accordance with KRS 403.212 or 403.2122. The office shall utilize information, including financial records, about the parent and child which it has good reason to believe is reliable and may require the parents to provide income verification.
(8) In cases in which past-due support is owed for a child receiving public assistance under Title IV-A of the Federal Social Security Act, the Office of the Attorney General shall issue an administrative order, or seek a judicial order, requiring the obligated parent to participate in work activities, or educational or vocational training activities for at least twenty (20) hours per week, unless the parent is incapacitated as defined by 42 U.S.C. sec. 607.
(9) The Office of the Attorney General may disclose financial records only for the purpose of establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation of an individual. A financial institution shall not be liable to any individual for disclosing any financial record of the individual to the office attempting to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation.
(10) The Office of the Attorney General may issue both intrastate and interstate administrative subpoenas to any individual or entity for financial or other information or documents which are needed to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. sec. 651 et seq. An administrative subpoena lawfully issued in another state to an individual or entity residing in this state shall be honored and enforced in the Circuit Court of the county in which the individual or entity resides.
(11) In any case where a person or entity fails to respond to a subpoena within the specified time frame, the Office of the Attorney General shall impose a penalty.
(12) No person shall knowingly make, present, or cause to be made or presented to an employee or officer of the Office of the Attorney General any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, representation, or entry in any application, report, document, or financial record used in determining child support or child care obligations.
(13) If a person knowingly or by reason of negligence discloses a financial record of an individual, that individual may pursue civil action for damages in a federal District Court or appropriate state court. No liability shall arise with respect to any disclosure which results from a good faith, but erroneous, interpretation. In any civil action brought for reason of negligence of disclosure of financial records, upon finding of liability on the part of the defendant, the defendant shall be liable to the plaintiff in an amount equal to:
(a) The sum of the greater of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each act of unauthorized disclosure of financial records; or
(b) The sum of the actual damages sustained by the plaintiff resulting from the unauthorized disclosure; plus
(c) If willful disclosure or disclosure was a result of gross negligence, punitive damages, plus the costs, including attorney fees, of the action.
(14) The Office of the Attorney General shall issue an administrative order or seek a judicial order requiring a parent with a delinquent child support obligation, as defined by administrative regulation promulgated under KRS 15.055, to participate in the program described in KRS 15.816 to help low-income, noncustodial parents find and keep employment unless the parent is incapacitated as defined by 42 U.S.C. sec. 607.
Effective: July 1, 2025
History: Amended 2025 Ky. Acts ch. 59, sec. 12, effective July 1, 2025. -- Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 219, sec. 9, effective July 1, 2025. -- Amended 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 124, sec. 49, effective July 1, 2025. -- Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 122, sec. 8, effective July 14, 2022. -- Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 430, sec. 13, effective July 14, 2000. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 255, sec. 22, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 365, sec. 7, effective July 15, 1996. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 330, sec. 13, effective July 15, 1994. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 418, sec. 9, effective July 13, 1990. -- Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 411, sec. 20, effective July 15, 1988. -- Created 1984 Ky. Acts ch. 144, sec. 5, effective July 13, 1984.
Source: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (legislature.ky.gov)URL: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56572Fetched: 10/20/2026