AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the liability of certain employers who are required to
 1-2     withhold child support from an employee's earnings.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 158.206, Family Code, is
 1-5     amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (b)  An employer receiving an order or writ of withholding
 1-7     who does not comply with the order or writ is liable:
 1-8                 (1)  to the obligee for the amount not paid in
 1-9     compliance with the order or writ, including the amount the obligor
1-10     is required to pay for health insurance under Chapter 154;
1-11                 (2)  to the obligor for:
1-12                       (A)  the amount withheld and not paid as required
1-13     by the order or writ; and
1-14                       (B)  an amount equal to the interest that accrues
1-15     under Section 157.265 on the amount withheld and not paid; and
1-16                 (3)  for reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.
1-17           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-18           (b)  The changes in law made by this Act to Section 158.206,
1-19     Family Code, apply only to child support withheld on or after that
1-20     date.  Child support withheld before the effective date of this Act
1-21     is governed by the law in effect on the date the child support was
1-22     withheld, and the former law is continued in effect for that
1-23     purpose.
1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 581 passed the Senate on
         April 8, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
         the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 1999, by a
         viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 581 passed the House, with
         amendment, on May 26, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor