BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Senate will consider whether to expand the length of time a man has to challenge his paternity after a child's birth.
    
Current law grants Louisianians one year to contest paternity from the time they learn of the birth. But a Senate judiciary committee advanced a proposal Tuesday without objection to begin that time period once a person learns the child may not be his.
    
Rep. Patrick Jefferson, a Homer Democrat, said his House-approved bill would protect people deceived in relationships.
    
Supporters say state child support statutes have legally trapped people who missed the disavowal period, forcing them to pay if they learned of infidelity late.
    
Some states grant a five-year disavowal period while others allow men to challenge paternity at any time.