By West                                                H.B. No. 336
         77R14853 E                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certain requirements in connection with the expenditure
 1-3     of child support payments.
 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 154.0041 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 154.0041.  ACCOUNTING OF CHILD SUPPORT EXPENDITURES.
 1-8     (a)  On the request of a party to a child support order and for
 1-9     good cause shown, the court may order an accounting of the
1-10     expenditure of child support payments if the total child support
1-11     obligation exceeds $750 per month.  The accounting required by the
1-12     court order may not include a duty to account for money deposited
1-13     in the account before the 12 months preceding the date of the
1-14     order.
1-15           (b)  If, after a hearing, the court finds that child support
1-16     payments are not being used for the benefit of the child, the court
1-17     may order the obligee to open a child support account with a
1-18     financial institution solely for the receipt and use of child
1-19     support payments.
1-20           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-21           (b)  If the Title IV-D agency implements an electronic
1-22     benefits transfer system under Section 234.007, Family Code, as
1-23     added by Section 6, Chapter 1072, Acts of the 76th Legislature,
1-24     Regular Session, 1999, a Title IV-D case in which an electronic
 2-1     benefits transfer is used is exempt from Section 154.0041, Family
 2-2     Code, as added by this Act.