PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 631 PRINTER'S NO. 798
No. 572 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. RICHARDSON, BLACKWELL, MRS. TOLL,
MESSRS. REED, VANN, SHELTON, BARBER AND IRVIS,
FEBRUARY 24, 1975
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 12, 1975
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of May 14, 1857 (P.L.507, No.567), entitled "An
2 act to Legitimate Children Born out of Lawful Wedlock,"
3 providing that all children born in the Commonwealth of
4 Pennsylvania are legitimate.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Section 1, act of May 14, 1857 (P.L.507, No.567),
8 entitled "An act to Legitimate Children Born out of Lawful
9 Wedlock," amended June 17, 1971 (P.L.175, No.17), is amended to
10 read:
11 Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
12 Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General
13 Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the
14 same, That all children born in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 shall be legitimate irrespective of the marital status of their
16 parents and in any and every case where [the father and mother
17 of a child or] children are born out of wedlock [shall enter
1 into the bonds of lawful wedlock and cohabit, such child or
2 children shall thereby become legitimated, and] they shall enjoy
3 all the rights and privileges as if they had been born during
4 the wedlock of their parents: Provided, however, That for
5 purposes of paternal inheritance of children born out of
6 wedlock, the identity of the father be determined and registered <--
7 in the office of the Bureau of Vital Statistics or its successor
8 in one of the following ways:
9 (1) The THE father may recognize his child by filing a <--
10 certificate to such effect IN THE OFFICE OF THE BUREAU OF VITAL <--
11 STATISTICS; OR
12 (2) The THE paternity may be determined by law during the <--
13 lifetime of the reputed father; OR <--
14 (3) IN CASES WHERE THE FATHER AND MOTHER OF A CHILD BORN OUT
15 OF WEDLOCK SHALL ENTER INTO THE BONDS OF LAWFUL WEDLOCK AND
16 COHABIT, SUCH CHILD OR CHILDREN SHALL THEREBY BECOME
17 LEGITIMATED.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall
19 apply to all children living on or born after the date of
20 enactment IF THE CHILD'S FATHER IS LIVING ON THAT DATE. <--
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