By Hamric                                             H.B. No. 3144
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to child support payments.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Chapter 14, Section 14.0501 (d), Family Code, is
    1-5  amended to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 14.0501.  (d)  A local registry shall accept child
    1-7  support payments made only by <personal check,> money order, or
    1-8  cashier's check.  <A local registry may refuse payment by personal
    1-9  check when a pattern of abuse regarding the use of personal checks
   1-10  has been established.  Abuse is defined to include checks drawn on
   1-11  insufficient funds, abusive or offensive language written on the
   1-12  check intentional mutilation of the instrument or other actions
   1-13  that delay or disrupt the registry's operation.>
   1-14        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-15  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-16  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-17  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three separate
   1-18  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.