HBA-AMW H.B. 2550 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2550 By: Uher Juvenile Justice & Family Issues 3/25/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the amount of child support that a person is required to pay is determined by guidelines that designate a certain percentage based on the obligor's monthly net resources. The social security old age benefits that an obligor and the child receive are not considered by the court when determining the amount of a child support order. House Bill 2550 requires the court, when determining the amount of the child support order, to apply the child support guidelines by determining the amount of child support and subtracting from that total the amount of benefits paid to or for the child as a result of the obligor's receipt of social security benefits. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2550 amends the Family Code to require the court, in applying the child support guidelines for an obligor who is receiving social security old age benefits (social security benefits) and who is required to pay support for a child who receives benefits as a result of the obligor's receipt of social security benefits, to apply the guidelines by determining the amount of child support that would be ordered under the guidelines and subtracting from that total the amount of benefits or the value of the benefits paid to or for the child as a result of the obligor's receipt of social security benefits. The bill provides that a change in law made by the Act does not by itself constitute a material and substantial change of circumstances sufficient in and of itself to warrant modification of a court order or a portion of a decree that provides for the support of a child rendered before September 1, 2001. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.