BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        S.B. 1585
                                                    By: Henderson
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          4-27-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Section 152.1074 of the Human Resources Code authorizes the Harris
County Commissioners Court to create a child support department to
receive, disburse, and record payments of child and spousal
support.  The commissioners court appoints the director of the
department who serves at the pleasure of the court.

The court is considering consolidating all of the child support
operations under the office of the district clerk in order to more
efficiently and effectively manage child support payments. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1585 authorizes the Harris County Commissioners
Court to designate a county officer to create a child support
office within the officer's department to receive, disburse, and
record payments of restitution and child and spousal support.

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 152.1074, Human Resources Code, by
amending Subsection (a), (c), (d), and (e) and adding Subsection
(k), as follows:

     (a) Authorizes the Harris County Commissioners Court (court)
     to designate by order a county officer to create a child
     support office within the officer's department to receive,
     disburse, and record payments of restitution and child and
     spousal support made to the office under a court order. 
     Authorizes the court to rescind the order designating the
     officer at any time.
     
     (c)-(e) Make conforming changes.
     
     (k) Requires the county officer to serve as the director of
     the child support department, if the court designates a county
     officer to create an office of child support within the county
     officer's department.  Authorizes the county officer to hire
     additional employees subject to court approval.  Requires the
     county officer to execute a bond with a solvent authorized
     surety company.  Requires the bond to be payable to the county
     judge and conditioned on the county officer's faithful
     performance of duties and on the county officer's properly
     accounting for funds entrusted to the county officer. 
     Requires the court to set the amount of the bond and to pay
     the premium for the bond out of the county general funds.
     
SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.