Good Dad Act Committee Highlights Kentucky & Florida Paternity Laws & Reaffirms - 2024 Legislative Proposal to Kentucky
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LOUISVILLE , KY, UNITED STATES, December 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Good Dad Act Committee, the national fatherhood-rights advocacy group founded by Dr. Bernard Wh. Jennings, has released a policy comparison outlining major differences between Kentucky’s Revised Statutes Chapter 406 and Florida’s Good Dad Act (HB 775), while reaffirming that the Committee formally submitted its proposed legislative model to the Kentucky General Assembly in early 2024.
The Good Dad Act Committee has been recognized across the country for spearheading legislation that strengthens the rights and responsibilities of unmarried fathers, promotes healthier co-parenting arrangements, and improves child-welfare outcomes. Florida’s Good Dad Act — inspired by the real-life journey of Dr. Jennings and codified into law in 2023 — has since become one of the most progressive paternity and parental-responsibility statutes in the nation.
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Florida’s Good Dad Act: A Breakthrough Model
Florida’s House Bill 775, known nationally as the Good Dad Act, established that once paternity is legally confirmed — through acknowledgment, birth-certificate listing, or administrative/court action — an unmarried father becomes an equal natural guardian of the child. This includes:
Shared parental responsibility
Equal decision-making authority
Eligibility for a court-ordered parenting plan
Timesharing rights comparable to those of married fathers
Removal of the long-standing default that granted full custodial authority solely to the mother
A requirement that paternity, support, and parental-responsibility matters be addressed together, not in isolated proceedings
This “whole-parent” approach transformed Florida into a national leader in father-inclusive family policy.
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Kentucky’s Current Law: Strong in Support Obligations, Limited in Automatic Parental Rights
Kentucky’s Revised Statutes Chapter 406 outline how paternity may be established through voluntary acknowledgment, affidavit, court action, or genetic testing. Upon legal confirmation of paternity, fathers become liable for:
Child support
Pregnancy and birth-related expenses
Medical and educational support obligations
Kentucky permits fathers to petition for custody, visitation, and decision-making authority, but these rights are not automatically triggered when paternity is established. Fathers must initiate additional proceedings beyond the paternity action to secure a parenting plan or to obtain timesharing rights.
The result is a two-step system:
(1) Establish paternity → (2) Separately seek parental rights.
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Comparing the Two States: Key Differences
The Good Dad Act Committee notes three core areas where the Florida model outpaces Kentucky’s current statute:
1. Automatic Natural Guardian Status
Florida: Once paternity is established, the father is an equal natural guardian.
Kentucky: The mother remains the default legal custodian until the father pursues separate court orders.
2. Unified Proceedings
Florida: Paternity, child support, parental responsibility, and timesharing are all addressed in the same process.
Kentucky: Paternity determination does not automatically create or modify parental rights.
3. Early Co-Parenting Stability
Florida: Parenting plans and timesharing schedules are initiated immediately after paternity determination, reducing conflict and uncertainty.
Kentucky: Fathers may face delays and additional litigation before achieving meaningful involvement.
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Good Dad Act Committee’s Legislative Proposal to Kentucky
In early 2024, the Good Dad Act Committee formally presented Kentucky lawmakers with a model bill based on the Florida statute. The proposal included:
Automatic recognition of unmarried fathers as natural guardians upon establishment of paternity
A streamlined system requiring courts to address timesharing, parenting plans, and parental responsibility at the same stage as paternity
Mandatory transparency in birth-certificate procedures
Stronger protections for the father–child bond during parental disputes
Early-intervention mechanisms to promote cooperative co-parenting
The Committee emphasized that the Florida Good Dad Act has already produced measurable improvements in family stability, reduced court congestion, and increased father involvement in children's lives.
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Statement from the Good Dad Act Committee
“Florida proved that when fathers are given an equal opportunity to be present from the beginning, children win,” said Dr. Bernard Wh. Jennings, Founder of the Good Dad Act Committee. “Kentucky’s laws provide a solid foundation for establishing paternity, but additional steps are still required for fathers to gain their full parental rights. Our goal is to modernize that system — not to weaken mothers, but to strengthen families.”
He added:
“We respect Kentucky’s longstanding commitment to child welfare, and we are encouraged by the thoughtful dialogue that began when we submitted our model bill in early 2024. Our hope is that Kentucky will join Florida and become the next state to secure automatic, responsible fatherhood rights in paternity proceedings.”
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Call to Action for Fathers Nationwide
The Good Dad Act Committee is inviting unwed fathers in Kentucky and across the United States to become part of this growing movement for fair and responsible fatherhood laws.
Fathers, grandparents, allies, and community leaders are encouraged to:
Join the Good Dad Act Committee and connect with a national network of dads, attorneys, advocates, and policymakers at: www.GoodDadAct.com
Learn the inspiring true story behind the law by purchasing Dr. Jennings’ bestselling book, “Ethan’s Good Dad Act – A Father Turns Lemons into Lemonade So That All Good Dads Can Take a Sip!” at: www.EthansGoodDadAct.com
By joining the Committee and sharing the book with legislators, bar associations, churches, and community organizations, fathers in other states can help bring the Good Dad Act to their own legislatures — ensuring that responsible dads are not shut out of their children’s lives simply because they were not married at the time of birth.
“Every time a dad joins our Committee or shares Ethan’s Good Dad Act with a lawmaker, it lights another spark,” Dr. Jennings said. “That’s how we passed the law in Florida — one dad, one story, one state at a time. Now it’s Kentucky’s turn, and then the rest of the country.”
The Good Dad Act has already influenced changes in the law in: Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama. Next up: Kentucky, Minnesota and Georgia.
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About the Good Dad Act Committee
The Good Dad Act Committee is a national fatherhood-advocacy organization focused on legislative reform, legal education, responsible father engagement, and community support for families navigating the paternity and family-court system. The Committee has coordinated with lawmakers, attorneys, judges, and community leaders nationwide to promote equal-access family laws that prioritize the best interests of children. The Good Dad Act Committee has held 126 consecutive free 8pm Tuesday night Google Meet meetings since July 2023. Special invited guests include; family law attorneys, judges and other practitioners that appear to help Good Dads navigate the family court systems. There are 16 team leaders across the United States. Dads everywhere are encouraged to join at www.GoodDadAct.com.
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Media Contact
Good Dad Act Committee
Website: www.GoodDadAct.com
Email: biscaynegardenschamber@gmail.com
Phone: (786) 529-0014
Eric Stoller
Good Dad Act Committee- The New Biscayne Gardens Chamber of
+1 786-529-0014
Gooddad@gooddadact.com
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