BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 2323
By: Clemons
April 24, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Deadbeat parents with income who fail to pay child support run up
the nation's welfare bill while depriving their children of vital
support.  It is estimated that 40% of welfare dollars go to
children whose non-custodial parents can afford to pay child
support, but fail to do so.  According to 1993 figures, the
national average on collections by state governments is
approximately 19%, while Texas collects in only 15% of its total
cases.  The Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) in Texas has
68 field offices, and over 2500 of the 3700 positions in the
Attorney General's Office are filled by CSED employees.

The backlog of cases has still more than doubled in the past four
years despite the number of employees working on the problem. 
Supporters of the AG's office claim that the system is simply
overburdened, and there are not enough people for all the calls and
cases.  Critics claim that the major problem is an unresponsive
bureaucracy tainted by lost files, unanswered calls, and uncaring
workers.  At least one suggestion has been for the state of Texas
to get out of the child support collection business and turn to
privatizing the process.

PURPOSE

This Act is intended to sunset the involvement of the AG's office 
in child support matters unless the 75th Legislature sees drastic
improvement in the collection process and deems it necessary to
continue that involvement.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly
grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer,
department, agency or institution.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 76, Human Resources Code, by adding
Section 76.0011 as follows:

     Section 76.0011.  SUNSET REVIEW OF ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHILD
SUPPORT
     DUTIES.  Provides that the involvement of the Attorney
General's office in child 
     support matters is subject to the Sunset Act (Chapter 325,
Government Code) and will
     be terminated on September 1, 1997, unless continued as
provided in this chapter.     Imposes on the Attorney General's
office the same duty as a state agency under review
     under this chapter.

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 2323 was considered in a public hearing on 12 April 1995.

The following persons testified in favor of the bill:
     Jack Tucker, representing himself, Texas Fathers Alliance;
     Brent Sandbak, representing himself, Texas Fathers;
     Robert L. Green Jr., representing himself, Primary Nurturing
Fathers of Texas/Texas        Fathers Alliance;
     Rebecca Tarter, representing herself and her husband, Thomas
N. Tarter;
     David Burgess, Central Texas Chapter, Texas Fathers for Equal
Rights.

The following person testified neutrally on the bill:
     Charles G. Childress, Office of the Attorney General, Child
Support Enforcement.

The committee reported H.B. 2323 favorably without amendment with
the recommendation that it do pass and be printed by a record vote
of 5 ayes, 1 nay, 1 pnv, 2 absent.