BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         S.B. 514
                                                       By: Harris
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                         04-12-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Current law requires courts, when determining child support
provisions, to order an obligor to provide health insurance for a
child if health insurance is available through the obligor's
employment.  In some situations, dependant health insurance
coverage available through the obligor's employment, such as
coverage provided by an HMO, may be restricted to a certain
geographic area.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 514 requires courts to consider the accessibility
of health insurance for certain children in a child support order.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 14.061, Family Code, by amending
Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (s), as follows:

     (b)  Requires the court to consider the accessibility of
     health insurance in determining the manner in which health
     insurance for the child is to be provided by the obligor in a
     child support order.  Makes conforming changes.
     
     (s)  Provides that the legislature encourages the commissioner
     of insurance to attempt to create an insurance health pool
     from which a child may obtain health care coverage if a person
     does not comply with a court order under this section or the
     person chooses to purchase health insurance from the pool.
     
     SECTION 2.     Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.