SRC-JBJ S.B. 391 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 391
76R3279 KLA-FBy: Harris
Jurisprudence
2/24/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the enforcement of a child support order does not permit without
proper authorization a domestic relations office or certain friends of the
court to obtain certain records on a person from the national directory of
new hires or the state case registry.  S.B. 391 authorizes the domestic
relations office to obtain information from the national directory of new
hires, and the office and the friend of the court to obtain information
from the state case registry.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 391 authorizes a domestic relations office and certain
friends of the court to obtain information from the national directory of
new hires and the state case registry. 

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 203.004(a), Family Code, to authorize a domestic
relations office to provide an informal forum for negotiating a repayment
schedule for delinquent child support as a measure to prevent suit for
nonpayment of child support.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 203.007, Family Code, to authorize a domestic
relations office to obtain, to the extent authorized by federal law,
certain information on  a person mentioned in Subsection (a) from records
in the national directory of new hires and the state case registry.  Makes
conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 233.001, Family Code, to require the state case
registry to provide information to a domestic relations office or friend of
the court regarding certain cases.  Deletes the requirement that a domestic
relations office or friend of the court obtain permission from a parent or
attorney to obtain records from the state case registry.  Requires the
state case registry to provide information to a domestic relations office
or friend of the court citing authority under Subsection (a). Makes
conforming and nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 233.003, Family Code, to delete the prohibition
that the Title IV-D agency may not require an application for services as a
condition for releasing information under Section 233.001 to a custodial
parent or to the person designated by the parent. 

SECTION 5.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.