By:  Conley                                            H.B. No. 279
       73R1954 JMM-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the itemization of child support expenditures.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 14, Family Code, is amended
    1-5  by adding Section 14.059 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 14.059.  ITEMIZATION OF CHILD SUPPORT EXPENDITURES BY
    1-7  OBLIGEE.  (a)  An obligee shall submit an itemization of all child
    1-8  support expenditures to the obligor as provided by this section.
    1-9        (b)  An itemization of expenditures must state:
   1-10              (1)  the date each expenditure was made;
   1-11              (2)  the purpose of each expenditure; and
   1-12              (3)  the child for whom each expenditure was made if
   1-13  the obligee receives child support for more than one child.
   1-14        (c)  An itemization of expenditures must contain a receipt or
   1-15  other verification sufficient to show that each expenditure was in
   1-16  fact made.
   1-17        (d)  An obligee must submit an itemization of expenditures to
   1-18  the obligor for each interval of time that is the same as the
   1-19  interval of time that a court has ordered the obligor to make
   1-20  periodic child support payments.  The itemization must be submitted
   1-21  before the 31st day after the last day of each interval.
   1-22        (e)  An obligee who does not submit an itemization of
   1-23  expenditures to the obligor as provided by this section is liable
   1-24  to the obligor for an amount equal to the difference between the
    2-1  amount paid by the obligor and the amount of expenditures itemized.
    2-2        (f)  An obligor may bring an action under this section only
    2-3  in the court of continuing jurisdiction.
    2-4        (g)  This section does not apply to a lump-sum payment of
    2-5  child support.
    2-6        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
    2-7  applies only to a child support payment made on or after the
    2-8  effective date of this Act.
    2-9        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-10  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-11  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-12  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-13  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.