House Judiciary Committee to Hear ‘Fatherhood Begins at Conception’ Bill
Introduced by Kalispell Republican Rep. Courtenay Sprunger and co-sponsored by 29 GOP members, House Bill 288 would require child support payments be made from the month of conception
By Denali Sagner
The Montana House Judiciary Committee on Thursday is set to hear testimony on a bill introduced by Rep. Courtenay Sprunger that would require child support payments be paid from the month of a child’s conception. Sprunger, a second-term Republican from Kalispell, has dubbed the bill “Fatherhood Begins at Conception.”
The bill has garnered nearly 30 GOP co-sponsors in the state House, including Reps. Ed Byrne, Terry Falk, Steven Kelly, Tom Millett and Lukas Schubert of the Flathead Valley.
“From the moment of conception, pregnancy involves significant physical, emotional, and financial demands,” Sprunger said in a statement. “This legislation ensures both parents participate in the full financial responsibilities of bringing a child into the world.”
House Bill 288 would amend Montana’s code pertaining to child support, or court-ordered payments made, usually by a non-custodial parent, to cover childcare and other expenses. The bill would allow child support proceedings to commence before the birth of the child, and would allow the court to award child support from the month of the child’s conception.
Under the proposed legislation, if paternity is contested, the court may retroactively award child support from the month of conception once a postnatal paternity test can be completed.
In Montana, child support rulings are determined by the needs of the child, financial means of the parents, age of the child and earning ability of the parents, among other factors.
Sprunger in a press release said the bill seeks to foster accountability and equity for families during the prenatal period while ensuring the rights of both parents. She noted that fathers will not be responsible for child support until paternity is established and that mothers may object to paternity testing if desired.
“This bill recognizes the shared role of parents in preparing for their child’s arrival,” Sprunger said. “It’s a commonsense step toward strengthening families and ensuring that mothers have the support they need.”
Per an analysis by the Peterson Center on Healthcare and the Kaiser Family Foundation, between 2018 and 2020, the health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care for a pregnant woman in the U.S. averaged a total of $18,865. The average out-of-pocket payments totaled $2,854.
Sprunger has long described herself as expansively “pro-life,” telling the Beacon in 2022, “I’m pro-life, but I believe that meaning goes beyond birth.”
Last session, Sprunger successfully brought a bill creating an additional $5,000 tax credit for families who adopt a child, and $7,500 for those who adopt a child from the foster care system. Gov. Greg Gianforte described the bill as part of his “pro-life, pro-child, pro-family agenda.”
House Bill 288 is slated for a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday at 8 a.m. Committee and floor hearings of the Montana Legislature can be viewed here.