By Staples                                            H.B. No. 1427
         76R1630 CMR-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the limitations period for filing a suit for unpaid
 1-3     court-ordered child support.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 157, Family Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 157.0055 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 157.0055.  LIMITATIONS PERIOD FOR FILING MOTION TO
 1-8     ENFORCE CHILD SUPPORT.  A motion to enforce child support must be
 1-9     filed not later than the fifth anniversary of the due date for the
1-10     last unpaid court-ordered child support obligation.
1-11           SECTION 2.  Section 157.005(b), Family Code, is amended to
1-12     read as follows:
1-13           (b)  The court retains jurisdiction to confirm the total
1-14     amount of child support arrearages and render judgment for past-due
1-15     child support if a motion for enforcement requesting a money
1-16     judgment is filed not later than the fifth [fourth] anniversary
1-17     after the date:
1-18                 (1)  the child becomes an adult; or
1-19                 (2)  on which the child support obligation terminates
1-20     under the order or by operation of law.
1-21           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-22     applies only to a motion to enforce child support for an unpaid
1-23     child support obligation due on or after that date, without regard
1-24     to whether the order for child support was entered before, on, or
 2-1     after that date.
 2-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.