Texas House Bill HB4612

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to the collecting of wages for child support payments.

Impact

The bill is expected to provide clearer guidelines for employers around their responsibilities regarding child support withholding, including civil penalties for noncompliance. Employers who fail to properly report employee information or withhold wages for child support can be fined up to $200 for each occurrence, with an additional penalty for conspiracies between employers and employees to evade compliance. This could potentially lead to more consistent enforcement of child support payments, benefiting custodial parents and children reliant on such support.

Summary

House Bill 4612 aims to amend the Texas Family Code specifically regarding the collection of wages for child support payments. The bill makes several adjustments to the definitions and responsibilities of employers in relation to their obligations to report employee information and withhold wages for child support. Notably, it clarifies definitions of 'employee' and 'employer', and specifies new provisions related to severance pay and earnings that are subject to withholding.

Contention

While HB 4612 focuses on the practical administration of child support payments, it may raise concerns regarding privacy and the operational burdens placed on employers. Critics could argue that the increased regulatory requirements may discourage hiring or complicate the employment process, particularly for smaller businesses. However, the legislation is framed as a necessary step to ensure that child support obligations are met more reliably, indicating a legislative priority on protecting children's welfare in divorce and family law cases.