Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Thompson                                     H.B. No. 2987

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the requirement that certain child support payments be

 1-3     forwarded by electronic funds transfer and to the collection of

 1-4     certain fees.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 154.242(b), Family Code, is amended to

 1-7     read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 154.242.  Payment or Transfer of Child Support Payments

 1-9     by Electronic Funds Transfer.

1-10           (a)  A child support payment may be made by electronic funds

1-11     transfer to the Title IV-D agency or a local registry if the

1-12     registry agrees to accept electronic payment.

1-13           (b)  A local registry may transmit child support payments to

1-14     the Title IV-D agency by electronic funds transfer if the Title

1-15     IV-D agency agrees to accept electronic payment.

1-16           (c)  An obligor may make payments, with the approval of the

1-17     court entering the order, directly to the bank account of the

1-18     obligee by electronic transfer and provide verification of the

1-19     deposit to the local registry.

1-20           (d)  A local registry in a county that makes deposits into

1-21     personal bank accounts by electronic funds transfer as of April 1,

1-22     1995, shall transmit a child support payment to an obligee by

1-23     electronic funds transfer if the obligee maintains a bank account.

1-24           (e)  A local registry subject to Subsec. (d) of this section

 2-1     which does not, after a request by an obligee, transmit child

 2-2     support payments by electronic funds transfer after September 1,

 2-3     1998, may not collect a fee from an applicant for services, child

 2-4     support obligor or child support obligee as authorized by Sections

 2-5     203.005(a)(1), 203.005(a)(2), or 203.005(a)(4) of the Family Code.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1998.

 2-7           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.