Texas Senate Bill SB355

Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Caption

Relating to the powers and duties of the Title IV-D agency regarding the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support and in connection with an application for a marriage license or protective order; authorizing a surcharge.

Impact

One of the significant impacts of SB355 is its provision to authorize a surcharge on child support payments, aimed at improving the efficiency of collection and disbursement processes. By mandating that child support be redirected to a state disbursement unit rather than a local registry, the bill centralizes authority and aims to eliminate inconsistencies in the processing of child support payments. This restructuring is anticipated to streamline how child support is managed, leading to swifter enforcement and collection efforts, benefitting those dependent on these funds.

Summary

SB355 is a bill that relates to the statutory powers and responsibilities of the Title IV-D agency regarding the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support as well as its connection to marriage licenses and protective orders. The bill seeks to enhance provisions for the effective enforcement of child support by modifying existing Family Code statutes. This includes changes to how marriage licenses are processed, particularly emphasizing the inclusion of premarital education information to applicants, which aims to support family stability and reduce future disputes surrounding child support.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding SB355 may arise from concerns regarding the added financial burden on employers due to the surcharge applicable for non-electronic payments. Critics may voice concerns that the imposition of this fee could lead to increased costs to businesses and may complicate the compliance process. Additionally, there may be apprehension regarding privacy implications and accessibility regarding the premarital education materials provided to applicants for marriage licenses, as some may argue that this adds unnecessary bureaucratic layers to personal decisions.