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.