relating to certain Title IV-D cases and other cases with respect to
child support or Title IV-D agency services and to practices and
procedures for the operation of the Title IV-D agency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 355.102(e), Estates Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(e) Class 4 claims are composed of claims:
(1) for the principal amount of and accrued interest
on delinquent child support and child support arrearages that have
been:
(A) confirmed as a judgment or a determination of
arrearages by a court under Title 5, Family Code; or
(B) administratively determined as evidenced by
a certified child support payment record produced by the Title IV-D
agency, as defined by Section 101.033, Family Code, in a Title IV-D
case, as defined by Section 101.034, Family Code; and
(2) for unpaid child support obligations under Section
154.015, Family Code.
SECTION 2. Section 154.004, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
(a) The court shall order the payment of child support,
medical support, and dental support to the state disbursement unit
as provided by Chapter 234.
(b) In a Title IV-D case, the court or the Title IV-D agency
shall order that income withheld for child support, medical
support, and dental support be paid to the state disbursement unit
of this state or, if appropriate, to the state disbursement unit of
another state.
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 154, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 154.017 to read as follows:
Sec.154.017.EMPLOYMENT SERVICES-RELATED ORDERS FOR
UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED OBLIGORS. (a) When establishing,
modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation, a court or
Title IV-D agency may render an order requiring an unemployed or
underemployed obligor to:
(1)enroll and participate fully in a program
available in the obligor's community that provides employment
assistance, skills training, or job placement services; or
(2)work, have a plan to pay child support, or
participate in work activities appropriate to pay the support
obligation.
(b)An order rendered under this section is enforceable as
provided by Chapter 157.
SECTION 4. Section 156.401(b), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Except as provided by Sections 231.1015, 231.1016, and
231.1017, a [A] support order may be modified with regard to the
amount of support ordered only as to obligations accruing after the
earlier of:
(1) the date of service of citation; or
(2) an appearance in the suit to modify.
SECTION 5. Section 157.321, Family Code, is amended to read
as follows:
Sec. 157.321. DISCRETIONARY RELEASE OF LIEN. (a) A child
support lien claimant may at any time release a lien on all or part
of the property of the obligor or return seized property, without
liability, if assurance of payment is considered adequate by the
claimant or if the release or return will facilitate the collection
of the arrearages. The release or return may not operate to prevent
future action to collect from the same or other property owned by
the obligor.
(b)A release of child support lien filed by the Title IV-D
agency under this section does not require verification.
SECTION 6. Section 157.322, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c)A release of child support lien filed by the Title IV-D
agency under this section does not require verification.
Statutes affected: Introduced: Estates Code 355.102, Family Code 154.004, Family Code 156.401, Family Code 157.321, Family Code 157.322, Family Code 161.304, Family Code 231.002, Subchapter A, Chapter , Family Code 231.1015, Family Code 231.101, Family Code 231.108, Family Code 231.117, Family Code 233.018, Family Code 233.020, Family Code 234.001, Government Code 552.117, Government Code 552.024, Property Code 12.0011, Property Code 240.151, Tax Code 101.034 (Family Code 156, Family Code 161, Property Code 240, Subchapter A, Chapter , Family Code 231, Family Code 234, Tax Code 101, Estates Code 355, Family Code 154, Government Code 552, Family Code 233, Family Code 157, Family Code 231, Property Code 12)