SRC-JEC H.B. 1452 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1452
By: Menendez (Van de Putte)
Jurisprudence
4/25/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a court is authorized to place a person who has failed
to pay child support on community supervision rather than confining the
person to jail.  As proposed, H.B. 1452 authorizes the court to require the
person, as a condition of placement on community supervision, to seek
employment assistance services or participate in mediation or other
services to alleviate conditions that prevent the person from paying the
child support.  It also clarifies other aspects of the community
supervision option. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 157.211, Family Code, to remove references to a
corrections department officer from the list of conditions of community
service that may be required of a respondent placed by the court on
community service and not committed.  Includes on the same list that a
respondent may be required to seek employment assistance services offered
by the Texas Workforce Commission (commission) under Section 302.0035
(Employment Assistance Program for Certain Parents), Labor Code, if
appropriate, and to participate in mediation or other services to alleviate
conditions that prevent the respondent from obeying the court's order. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 157.213(c), Family Code, to set forth
requirements regarding the manner of deposit and placement of fees received
under this subchapter by the court. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 157.214, Family Code, to authorize a domestic
relations office to file a verified motion alleging specifically that
certain conduct of the respondent constitutes a violation of the terms and
conditions of community supervision. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 302.0035, Labor Code, to require the commission
to provide certain employment assistance services to a person referred to
the commission by a court under Section 157.211, Family Code. 

SECTION 5.   Effective date: September 1, 2001.
Makes application of Sections 157.211 and 157.213(c), Family Code, as
amended by this Act, prospective.