Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-604.02 — NE Code / Chapter 71 / Section 71-604.02
View Statute 71-604.02
Status: in_force

(1) For purposes of this section:

(a) Biological mother means a person who is related to a child as the source of the egg that resulted in the conception of the child; and

(b) Birth mother means the person who gave birth to the child.

(2) During the period immediately before or after the in-hospital birth of a child whose biological mother is not the same as the birth mother, the person in charge of such hospital or such person's designated representative shall provide to the child's biological mother and birth mother the documents and written instructions for such biological mother and birth mother to complete a notarized acknowledgment of maternity. Such acknowledgment, if signed by both parties and notarized, shall be filed with the department at the same time at which the certificate of live birth is filed.

(3) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require the person in charge of such hospital or such person's designee to seek out or otherwise locate an alleged mother who is not readily identifiable or available.

(4) The acknowledgment shall be executed on a form prepared by the department. Such form shall be in essentially the same form provided by the department. The acknowledgment shall include, but not be limited to, (a) a statement by the birth mother consenting to the acknowledgment of maternity and a statement that the biological mother is the legal mother of the child, (b) a statement by the biological mother that she is the biological mother of the child, (c) written information regarding parental rights and responsibilities, and (d) the social security numbers of the mothers.

(5) The form provided for in subsection (4) of this section shall also contain instructions for completion and filing with the department if it is not completed and filed with a birth certificate as provided in subsection (2) of this section.

(6) The department shall accept completed acknowledgment forms. The department may prepare photographic, electronic, or other reproductions of acknowledgments. Such reproductions, when certified and approved by the department, shall be accepted as the original records, and the documents from which permanent reproductions have been made may be disposed of as provided by rules and regulations of the department.

(7) The department shall enter on the birth certificate of any child described in subsection (2) of this section the name of the biological mother of the child upon receipt of an acknowledgment of maternity as provided in this section signed by the biological mother of the child and the birth mother of the child. The name of the birth mother shall not be entered on the birth certificate. If the birth mother is married, the name of the birth mother's spouse shall not be entered on the birth certificate unless paternity for such spouse is otherwise established by law.

(8)(a) The signing of a notarized acknowledgment of maternity, whether under this section or otherwise, by the biological mother shall create a rebuttable presumption of maternity as against the biological mother. The signed, notarized acknowledgment is subject to the right of any signatory to rescind the acknowledgment at any time prior to the earlier of:

(i) Sixty days after the acknowledgment; or

(ii) The date of an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the child, including a proceeding to establish a support order in which the signatory is a party.

(b) After the rescission period provided for in subdivision (8)(a) of this section, a signed, notarized acknowledgment is considered a legal finding which may be challenged only on the basis of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact with the burden of proof upon the challenger, and the legal responsibilities, including the child support obligation, of any signatory arising from the acknowledgment shall not be suspended during the challenge, except for good cause shown. Such a signed and notarized acknowledgment or a certified copy or certified reproduction thereof shall be admissible in evidence in any proceeding to establish support.

(9)(a) If the biological mother was married at the time of either conception or birth or at any time between conception and birth of a child described in subsection (2) of this section, the name of the biological mother's spouse shall be entered on the certificate as the other parent of the child unless:

(i) Paternity has been determined otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction;

(ii) The biological mother and the biological mother's spouse execute affidavits attesting that the biological mother's spouse is not the biological parent of the child, in which case information about the other parent shall be omitted from the certificate; or

(iii) The biological mother executes an affidavit attesting that her spouse is not the biological father and naming the biological father; the biological father executes an affidavit attesting that he is the biological father; and the biological mother's spouse executes an affidavit attesting that such spouse is not the biological parent of the child. In such case the biological father shall be shown as the other parent on the certificate.

(b) For affidavits executed under subdivision (9)(a)(ii) or (iii) of this section, each signature shall be individually notarized.

(10) If the biological mother was not married at the time of either conception or birth or at any time between conception and birth, the name of the biological father shall not be entered on the certificate as the other parent without the written consent of the biological mother and the person named as the biological father.

(11) In any case in which paternity of a child is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, the name of the adjudicated father shall be entered on the certificate as the other parent in accordance with the finding of the court.

(12) If the other parent is not named on the certificate, no other information about the other parent shall be entered thereon.

(13) The identification of the father as provided in this section shall not be deemed to affect the legitimacy of the child or the duty to support as set forth in sections 42-377 and 43-1401 to 43-1418 .

(14) The department may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations as necessary and proper to assist it in the implementation and administration of this section and to establish a nominal payment and procedure for payment for each acknowledgment filed with the department.

Laws 2020, LB966, § 18;

Laws 2025, LB376, § 21.