By: Dutton H.B. No. 4035
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requirements for certain orders and judgments rendered
in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 105.006, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (c-1) and (i) and amending Subsection (f) to
read as follows:
(c-1) If a court renders an order under Subsection (c)
prohibiting the disclosure of a party's information, the court
shall require that the party provide to the court, for inclusion in
the final order, an e-mail address at which the party may receive:
(1) notice and service of process of subsequent
motions, petitions, or other legal pleadings using the electronic
filing system established under Section 72.031, Government Code;
and
(2) other legal documents or required notices.
(f) Except for an action in which contempt is sought, in any
subsequent child support modification or enforcement action, the
court may, on a showing that diligent effort has been made to
determine the location of a party, consider due process
requirements for notice and service of process to be met with
respect to that party on delivery of written notice to the most
recent residence address, e-mail address, or address of employment
filed by that party with the court and the state case registry.
(i) The clerk may send orders, notices, and other documents
relating to a final order to which this section applies to the
e-mail address provided by a party under this section using the
electronic filing system established under Section 72.031,
Government Code.
SECTION 2. Section 106.002, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) In rendering a judgment for attorney's fees or expenses
under this section, the court shall render the judgment separate
from any judgment confirming the amount of arrearages under Section
157.263.
SECTION 3. Section 157.167, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) In rendering a judgment for attorney's fees and court
costs under Subsection (a), the court shall render the judgment
separate from any judgment confirming the amount of arrearages
under Section 157.263.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is pending in a
trial court on the effective date of this Act or that is filed on or
after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.