H.B. No. 4034 is designed to improve the administration and enforcement of child support by the Title IV-D agency in Texas. Key provisions include a new subsection that permits the agency to halt enforcement of child support arrearages if the obligee is incarcerated for family violence against a child covered by the order. The bill clarifies that the Title IV-D agency is not bound by mediation or arbitration clauses in child support orders it did not participate in and allows for administrative adjustments of support obligations for obligors incarcerated for at least 180 consecutive days. Additionally, it introduces measures to ensure due process in notice and service of process, particularly concerning administrative adjustments.

The bill also includes amendments that enable the Title IV-D agency to file investigation reports supporting administrative adjustments, which can be used as evidence without further authentication. It allows attorneys employed by the agency to represent it in court without prior notice to involved parties and emphasizes the accessibility of Title IV-D brochures and notice methods, including electronic communication. The changes apply only to actions taken on or after the effective date of the Act, September 1, 2025, ensuring that existing laws govern any suits or proceedings initiated before this date. Furthermore, by December 1, 2025, the Title IV-D agency is required to make all brochures available on its website, enhancing access to information about child support services.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Family Code 201.1045, Family Code 231.002, Family Code 231.016, Family Code 231.1015, Family Code 231.1016, Family Code 231.104, Family Code 231.109, Family Code 231.118, Family Code 231.121, Family Code 231.302, Family Code 232.006, Family Code 233.006, Family Code 233.007, Family Code 233.0155, Family Code 234.012 (Family Code 232, Family Code 231, Family Code 233, Family Code 234, Family Code 201)
House Committee Report: Family Code 201.1045, Family Code 231.002, Family Code 231.016, Family Code 231.1015, Family Code 231.1016, Family Code 231.104, Family Code 231.109, Family Code 231.118, Family Code 231.121, Family Code 231.302, Family Code 232.006, Family Code 233.006, Family Code 233.007, Family Code 233.0155, Family Code 234.012 (Family Code 232, Family Code 231, Family Code 233, Family Code 234, Family Code 201)