| 1 | 1 | | By: Hunter H.B. No. 3996 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to requiring the state disbursement unit to disburse |
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| 7 | 7 | | payments to obligees electronically. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 234.010, Family Code, is amended to read |
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| 10 | 10 | | as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 234.010. DIRECT DEPOSIT OF CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS. |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) The state disbursement unit authorized under this chapter |
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| 13 | 13 | | shall [may] transmit a child support payment to an obligee by: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) electronic funds transfer if the obligee maintains |
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| 15 | 15 | | an account with a financial institution; or |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) electronic benefits transfer, such as a debit |
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| 17 | 17 | | card, to an account established by the Title IV-D agency or the |
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| 18 | 18 | | state disbursement unit. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The work group convened under this subchapter may |
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| 20 | 20 | | develop a plan to assist an obligee who does not have an account |
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| 21 | 21 | | with a financial institution to obtain an account. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) [The work group may determine whether it is feasible and |
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| 23 | 23 | | cost-effective for the state to administer an electronic benefits |
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| 24 | 24 | | transfer system for child support obligees and may recommend |
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| 25 | 25 | | implementation of such a system to the Title IV-D agency.] |
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| 26 | 26 | | [(d) After receiving any recommendations by the work group |
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| 27 | 27 | | under Subsection (c), the Title IV-D agency or the vendor selected |
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| 28 | 28 | | by the Title IV-D agency to operate the state disbursement unit may |
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| 29 | 29 | | provide for electronic benefits transfer, if the request for |
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| 30 | 30 | | proposals issued by the Title IV-D agency and any contract |
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| 31 | 31 | | resulting from the selection of a vendor to provide the services |
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| 32 | 32 | | specified in the request for proposals provides for electronic |
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| 33 | 33 | | benefits transfer.] |
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| 34 | 34 | | [(e)] The work group may recommend and the Title IV-D agency |
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| 35 | 35 | | may establish procedures to implement this section. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) For payments under Subsection (a)(2) [(f) The Title |
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| 37 | 37 | | IV-D agency, after receiving the recommendation of the work group, |
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| 38 | 38 | | may require an obligee to receive payments by direct deposit to the |
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| 39 | 39 | | obligee's bank account or] by electronic benefits transfer, [to] an |
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| 40 | 40 | | account established by the Title IV-D agency or the state |
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| 41 | 41 | | disbursement unit must be [if the account is] established at no cost |
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| 42 | 42 | | to the obligee. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. Section 234.011, Family Code, is repealed. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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