By:  Wentworth                                        S.B. No. 1098

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to exempting certain support payments from seizure.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 42.001, Property Code, is

 1-4     amended to read as follows:

 1-5           (b)  The following personal property is exempt from seizure

 1-6     and is not included in the aggregate limitations prescribed by

 1-7     Subsection (a):

 1-8                 (1)  current wages for personal services, except for

 1-9     the enforcement of court-ordered child support payments;

1-10                 (2)  professionally prescribed health aids of a debtor

1-11     or a dependent of a debtor; and

1-12                 (3)  alimony, support, or separate maintenance for the

1-13     support of the debtor and any dependent of the debtor.

1-14           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-15           (b)  The change in law made by this Act applies only to

1-16     alimony, support, or separate maintenance for support of the debtor

1-17     and any dependent of the debtor received on or after September 1,

1-18     1997.

1-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.