By Harris                                              S.B. No. 514
       74R3870 JMM-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the availability of health insurance for certain
    1-3  children the subject of a child support order.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 14.061, Family Code, is amended by
    1-6  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (s) to read as
    1-7  follows:
    1-8        (b)  In determining the manner in which health insurance for
    1-9  the child is to be provided, the court shall consider the following
   1-10  factors:
   1-11              (1)  if health insurance is available and accessible
   1-12  for the child through the obligor's employment or membership in a
   1-13  union, trade association, or other organization, the court shall
   1-14  order the obligor to include the child in the obligor's health
   1-15  insurance unless either party shows good cause why such an order
   1-16  would not be in the best interest of the child; or
   1-17              (2)  if health insurance is not available for the child
   1-18  through the obligor's employment but is available and accessible
   1-19  for the child through the obligee's employment or membership in a
   1-20  union, trade association, or other organization, the court may
   1-21  order the obligee to provide health insurance for the child and, in
   1-22  such event, shall order the obligor to pay in <an> additional child
   1-23  support to be withheld from disposable earnings under Section 14.43
   1-24  of this code to the obligee the actual cost of the health insurance
    2-1  for the child unless either party shows good cause why such an
    2-2  order would not be in the best interest of the child; or
    2-3              (3)  if health insurance is not available for the child
    2-4  through either the obligor's or obligee's employment, the court
    2-5  shall order the obligor to provide health insurance for the child
    2-6  if the court finds that health insurance is available and
    2-7  accessible for the child from another source and the obligor is
    2-8  financially able to provide it unless either party shows good cause
    2-9  why such an order would not be in the best interest of the child.
   2-10        (s)  The legislature encourages the commissioner of insurance
   2-11  to attempt to create a pool for health insurance from which a child
   2-12  may obtain health care coverage if a person does not comply with a
   2-13  court order under this section or the person chooses to purchase
   2-14  health insurance from the pool.
   2-15        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-16        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.