SRC-JBJ H.B. 2354 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2354
By: Goodman (Harris)
Jurisprudence
5/7/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, the attorney general's child support division (Title IV-D
agency) offers a 66 percent federal funding match to a county for child
support services that the county provides.  Due to an increase in the
filing of child support cases along with complex state and federal
mandates, counties expend resources to cover costs and expenses of
providing child support services without 100 percent funding.  H.B. 2354
would require the Title IV-D agency to be liable for the amount of costs
and fees that represent the state share if the federal government disallows
a federal share of reimbursement or if the federal share is not otherwise
received.  It also makes the Title IV-D agency liable for establishing and
operating the state case registry and state disbursement unit for
maintaining and monitoring records of child support orders and obligations. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2354 amends regulations regarding the liability of the
Title IV-D agency for certain costs incurred in providing child support
services. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 231.205, Family Code, to require the Title IV-D
agency to be liable for the amount of costs and fees that represent the
state share, if an amount is disallowed by the federal government or the
federal share is not otherwise received.  Deletes existing Subsection (a),
making the Title IV-D agency liable for certain fees and costs under this
subchapter.   

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 234A, Family Code, by adding Section 234.006, as
follows: 

Sec. 234.006.  LIABILITY OF ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR COSTS AND FEES.  Provides
that the Title IV-D agency is liable for the costs incurred in establishing
and operating the state case registry and state disbursement unit.
Requires the agency to reimburse a county for the expenses incurred by the
county in the initial gathering of data regarding court orders necessary to
establish the records under Section 234.001.  Requires the agency to
provide to a local registry certain computer resources.  Prohibits the
agency from charging a county a fee for obtaining information from the
state case registry and state disbursement unit. 

SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.