HBA-SEB H.B. 803 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 803 By: Uher Juvenile Justice and Family Issues 2/16/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, interest accrues on delinquent child support payments at the rate of 12 percent per year from the date the support is delinquent, which may inhibit a noncustodial parent from paying off the arrears in a timely manner. H.B. 803 decreases the interest rate on delinquent child support payments to six percent per year. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 157.265, Family Code, as follows: Sec 157.265. ACCRUAL OF INTEREST ON CHILD SUPPORT. Decreases from 12 percent to six percent the annual rate of simple interest accrued on delinquent child support, child support arrearages that have been confirmed and reduced to money judgments as provided by this subchapter (Judgment and Interest), and money judgments for retroactive or lump-sum child support. SECTION 2. Effective date: January 1, 2000. Provides that this Act applies to a child support payment that is due on or after the effective date of this Act or a money judgment for child support arrearages, retroactive child support, or lump-sum child support that is rendered on or after the effective date of this Act. Provides that the enactment of this Act does not by itself constitute a material and substantial change of circumstances sufficient to warrant modification of an order that provides for the support of a child rendered before the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.