By: Dutton H.B. No. 2264
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to suits affecting the parent-child relationship and the
enforcement of child support.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 8, Family Code, is amended
by adding Section 8.062 to read as follows:
Sec. 8.062. PLACE OF PAYMENT. If an order awarding
maintenance includes a requirement that the obligor pay the obligee
child support under Chapter 154, the court shall order the payment
of maintenance to the state disbursement unit as provided by
Chapter 234.
SECTION 2. Section 156.401, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
(c-1) Incarceration of a child support obligor in a local,
state, or federal jail or prison for a period exceeding 180 days is
a material and substantial change of circumstances for the purposes
of this section.
SECTION 3. Section 157.005(b), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The court retains jurisdiction to confirm the total
amount of child support, medical support, and dental support
arrearages and render [a] cumulative money judgments [judgment] for
past-due child support, medical support, and dental support, as
provided by Section 157.263, if a motion for enforcement requesting
a [cumulative] money judgment is filed not later than the 10th
anniversary after the date:
(1) the child becomes an adult; or
(2) on which the child support obligation terminates
under the child support order or by operation of law.
SECTION 4. Section 157.263, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a), (b), and (b-1) and adding Subsections
(b-2) and (b-3) to read as follows:
(a) If a motion for enforcement of child support requests a
money judgment for arrearages, the court shall confirm the amount
of arrearages and render [one] cumulative money judgments as
follows:
(1) a cumulative money judgment for the amount of
child support owed under Subsection (b);
(2) a cumulative money judgment for the amount of
medical support owed under Subsection (b-1); and
(3) a cumulative money judgment for the amount of
dental support owed under Subsection (b-2) [judgment].
(b) A cumulative money judgment for the amount of child
support owed includes:
(1) unpaid child support not previously confirmed;
(2) the balance owed on previously confirmed child
support arrearages or lump sum or retroactive child support
judgments;
(3) interest on the child support arrearages; and
(4) a statement that it is a cumulative judgment for
the amount of child support owed.
(b-1) A cumulative money judgment for the amount of medical
support owed includes:
(1) unpaid medical support not previously confirmed;
(2) the balance owed on previously confirmed medical
support arrearages or lump sum or retroactive medical support
judgments;
(3) interest on the medical support arrearages; and
(4) a statement that it is a cumulative judgment for
the amount of medical support owed.
(b-2) A cumulative money judgment for the amount of dental
support owed includes:
(1) unpaid dental support not previously confirmed;
(2) the balance owed on previously confirmed dental
support arrearages or lump sum or retroactive dental support
judgments;
(3) interest on the dental support arrearages; and
(4) a statement that it is a cumulative judgment for
the amount of dental support owed.
(b-3) In rendering a money judgment under this section, the
court may not reduce or modify the amount of child support, medical
support, or dental support arrearages but, in confirming the amount
of arrearages, may allow a counterclaim or offset as provided by
this title.
SECTION 5. Chapter 157, Family Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter J to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER J. CHILD SUPPORT QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER
Sec. 157.501. JURISDICTION FOR QUALIFIED DOMESTIC
RELATIONS ORDER. The court that rendered an order for the payment
of child support, or the court that obtains jurisdiction to enforce
a child support order under Chapter 159, has continuing
jurisdiction to render an enforceable qualified domestic relations
order or similar order permitting payment of pension, retirement
plan, or other employee benefits to an alternate payee or other
lawful payee to satisfy support amounts due under the child support
order. A child support order includes an order for child support,
medical support, or dental support.
Sec. 157.502. PROCEDURE. (a) A party to a child support
order may petition the court for a qualified domestic relations
order or similar order.
(b) Each party whose rights may be affected by the petition
is entitled to receive notice under Subchapter B.
Sec. 157.503. DEFECTIVE PRIOR DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER. If
a plan administrator or other person acting in an equivalent
capacity determines that a domestic relations order does not
satisfy the requirements of a qualified domestic relations order
or similar order, the court retains continuing jurisdiction over
the parties and their property to the extent necessary to render a
qualified domestic relations order.
Sec. 157.504. AMENDMENT OF QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS
ORDER. (a) A court that renders a qualified domestic relations
order retains continuing jurisdiction to amend the order to correct
the order, clarify the terms of the order, or add language to the
order to provide for the collection of support due under a child
support order.
(b) An amended domestic relations order under this section
must be submitted to the plan administrator or other person acting
in an equivalent capacity to determine whether the amended order
satisfies the requirements of a qualified domestic relations
order. Section 157.503 applies to a domestic relations order
amended under this section.
Sec. 157.505. LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION. The court shall
liberally construe this subchapter to effect payment of retirement
benefits for the satisfaction of the obligor's child support
obligation.
Sec. 157.506. ATTORNEY'S FEES. In a proceeding under this
subchapter, the court may award reasonable attorney's fees
incurred by a party to obtain the order. The court may order the
attorney's fees to be paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce
the order for fees in the attorney's own name by any means
available for the enforcement of a judgment for debt.
SECTION 6. Section 159.605(b), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) A notice must inform the nonregistering party:
(1) that a registered order is enforceable as of the
date of registration in the same manner as an order issued by a
tribunal of this state;
(2) that a hearing to contest the validity or
enforcement of the registered order must be requested within 30
[20] days after notice unless the registered order is under Section
159.707;
(3) that failure to contest the validity or
enforcement of the registered order in a timely manner will result
in confirmation of the order and enforcement of the order and the
alleged arrearages; and
(4) of the amount of any alleged arrearages.
SECTION 7. Sections 234.007(a), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A court that orders a party to pay [income to be withheld
for] child support under a temporary or final order shall order that
all [income ordered withheld for] child support payments [shall] be
paid to the state disbursement unit, including any child support
that the court orders an employer to withhold from the income of
the obligor.
SECTION 8. Section 506.001(a), Labor Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 506.003, in [In] a
workers' compensation case in which a claimant is awarded a
judgment against the state or a political subdivision of the state
under Chapter 501, 502, 503, 504, or 505, the state or political
subdivision shall comply with the judgment not later than the 30th
day after the judgment is entered.
SECTION 9. Chapter 506, Labor Code, is amended by adding
Section 506.003 to read as follows:
Sec. 506.003. CHILD SUPPORT INQUIRY. (a) Before the
payment of a judgment against the state or a political subdivision
of the state under Chapter 501, 502, 503, 504, or 505, the state or
political subdivision shall comply with the insurance reporting
requirements of Section 231.015, Family Code, and the child support
lien provisions of Subchapter G, Chapter 157, Family Code.
(b) Any delay in complying with the judgment due to
compliance with this section does not subject the state or
political subdivision to an award of a penalty or attorney's fees
under Section 506.001(b).
SECTION 10. Section 240.009, Property Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
(e) A disclaimer of an interest in property made by an
individual must contain a sworn statement regarding whether the
disclaimant is a child support obligor whose disclaimer is barred
under Section 240.151(g).
SECTION 11. (a) Section 8.062, Family Code, as added by this
Act, applies only to a maintenance order rendered on or after the
effective date of this Act. A maintenance order rendered before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
date the order was rendered, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, an
obligor subject to a maintenance order rendered before the
effective date of this Act may choose to remit maintenance payments
to the state disbursement unit as provided by Chapter 234, Family
Code, and the state disbursement unit shall accept those payments.
SECTION 12. Section 156.401, Family Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a suit for modification of a child support
order that is filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A
suit for modification that is filed before the effective date of
this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was
filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 13. Section 157.263, Family Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a cumulative money judgment rendered on or
after the effective date of this Act. A judgment rendered before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the
time the judgment was rendered, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 14. Section 159.605, Family Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a support order or income-withholding
order, as applicable, issued by a court of another state that is
registered in this state on or after the effective date of this Act.
A support order or income-withholding order that is registered in
this state before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
law in effect on the date the determination or order was registered,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 15. Section 506.001, Labor Code, as amended by this
Act, and Section 506.003, Labor Code, as added by this Act, apply
only to a judgment awarded in a workers' compensation case on or
after the effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the case
was filed before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 16. Section 240.009, Property Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a disclaimer made on or after the
effective date of this Act. A disclaimer made before the effective
date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the
disclaimer was made, and the former law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 17. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.