A new state law says men no longer have to make child support payments if they discover the child is not theirs, but a Houston man says he still has to pay.

Ray Thomas is saying he is frustrated because he owes more than $50,000, even though he is not the child’s father.

“They’ve been taking money out of my income tax — taking my money and I haven’t been able to pay my bills,” Thomas said. Thomas claims he’s a victim of mistaken paternity.

He said, in 1986 a woman he was dating had a baby and told Thomas it was his, which Thomas believed until the child started growing red hair. Thomas said he went to court numerous times trying to clear things up, but said the judge wouldn’t hear it.

The new legislation will not help Thomas because his case is old and the courts are looking not backward, but forward.