By Uresti H.B. No. 2594 76R7939 MCK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the collection of child support payments made after 1-3 termination of the child support order. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 154, Family Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 154.012 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 154.012. SUPPORT PAID AFTER TERMINATION OF SUPPORT 1-8 ORDER. (a) If the obligor is not in arrears, an obligee shall 1-9 return to an obligor a child support payment made by the obligor 1-10 after the date the child support order has terminated. 1-11 (b) An obligor may file a suit to recover a child support 1-12 payment under Subsection (a). If the court finds that the obligee 1-13 failed to return a child support payment under Subsection (a), the 1-14 court shall order the obligee to pay to the obligor attorney's fees 1-15 and all court costs in addition to the amount of support paid after 1-16 the date the child support order terminated. 1-17 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and 1-18 applies to a child support payment made on or after that date. A 1-19 child support payment made before the effective date of this Act 1-20 is governed by the law in effect on the date the payment was made, 1-21 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-3 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 2-4 Amend House Bill 2594 as follows: 2-5 On page 1, line 16, add the following after the period: "For 2-6 good cause shown, the court may waive the requirement that the 2-7 obligee pay attorney's fees and costs if the court states the 2-8 reasons supporting that finding." 2-9 Naishtat