By: Phelan (Senate Sponsor - Nichols) H.B. No. 884
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 13, 2015;
May 13, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on State
Affairs; May 21, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the abolishment of the Orange County child support
office and to the divorce and contempt fees paid in Orange County.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 152.1872(f) and (g), Human Resources
Code, are transferred to Section 152.1873, Human Resources Code,
redesignated as Subsections (f) and (g) of that section, and
amended to read as follows:
(f) Fees collected under this section [and Section
152.1873] shall be deposited in a separate fund known as the
"divorce and contempt fees fund [Child Support Fund]" by the county
treasurer. A record shall be kept of all fees collected and
expended. The divorce and contempt fees [child support] fund is
subject to regular audit by the county auditor or other authorized
person. An annual report of receipts and expenditures in the
account shall be made to the commissioners court by the auditor.
(g) The Orange County Juvenile Board [juvenile board] shall
administer the fees collected under this section [and Section
152.1873] to meet the expenses of the juvenile board [office],
including postage, equipment, stationery, office supplies,
subpoenas, salaries, and other expenses authorized by the board.
The fund shall be supplemented from the general fund or other
available funds of the county as necessary.
SECTION 2. The heading to Section 152.1873, Human Resources
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 152.1873. DIVORCE [ADOPTION] AND CONTEMPT FEES IN
ORANGE COUNTY.
SECTION 3. Sections 152.1873(a) and (d), Human Resources
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) Each person who files a divorce case in Orange County
shall pay to the clerk of the district court a filing fee of not less
than $5. The fee is taxed, collected, and paid as other costs and is
used to assist in maintaining the Orange County Juvenile Board as
provided by Subsection (g) [child support office].
(d) A receipt of all disbursements of money paid to [into]
the Orange County Juvenile Board [child support office] in a matter
involving contempt shall be kept on file.
SECTION 4. The following are repealed:
(1) the heading to Section 152.1872, Human Resources
Code; and
(2) Sections 152.1872(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e),
Human Resources Code.
SECTION 5. On the effective date of this Act:
(1) the Orange County child support office is
abolished;
(2) the obligations, rights, records, equipment, and
personnel of the former office are transferred to the Orange County
Juvenile Board; and
(3) any money remaining in the Orange County child
support fund shall be transferred to the divorce and contempt fees
fund for the Orange County Juvenile Board.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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