CN C.S.H.B. 2155 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS JUVENILE JUSTICE & FAMILY ISSUES C.S.H.B. 2155 By: Solis 5-8-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND "Parental abduction" refers to the taking, retention, or concealment of a child by a parent or other family member in derogation of the custody rights, including visitation rights, of another parent or family member. One form of abduction, the denial of visitation rights, is a very common problem in Texas and throughout the United States. For many parents with limited resources attorney's fees and courts costs prohibit them from seeking contempt actions for visitation denials enabling them to enforce visitation orders. To address this problem, the Office of Attorney General Child Support Enforcement Division ( Title IV-D agency) will establish a pilot project to support noncustodial parents visitation, and report on the plan to state officials. PURPOSE The substitute for H.B. 2155 will allow the Office of Attorney General Child Support Enforcement Division to establish a pilot project to support noncustodial parents visitation, and report on the plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives by January 15, 1997. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Requires that the Office of Attorney General Child Support Enforcement Division establish a pilot project to support noncustodial parents visitation, and report on the plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives by January 15, 1997. SECTION 2. Requires that the Office of Attorney General Child Support Enforcement Division seek federal funding for the implementation and support of the pilot project. SECTION 3. Effective date. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The original bill amended Section 231.002(a), Family Code, by adding Section 231.002(a)(5) to allow the Title IV-D Agency to initiate legal actions to enforce possession orders under Chapter 153. The complete substitute eliminates the above amendments to the Family Code and requires that the Office of Attorney General Child Support Enforcement Division establish a pilot project to support noncustodial parents visitation, and report on the plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives by January 15, 1997, and seek funding from the federal government for the pilot project.