By West H.B. No. 336 77R1830 JMG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of a separate account for the deposit of 1-3 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. SEPARATE ACCOUNT. (a) The court shall order 1-8 the obligee to open a separate child support account with a 1-9 financial institution solely for the receipt and use of child 1-10 support payments if monthly child support payments are in an amount 1-11 equal to or greater than $600. The court shall provide in the 1-12 order that the account is established in a manner that complies 1-13 with this section. 1-14 (b) If the court orders the payment of child support to the 1-15 Title IV-D agency, a local registry, or the state disbursement 1-16 unit, the Title IV-D agency, local registry, or state disbursement 1-17 unit shall electronically transfer the child support payments to 1-18 the financial institution for placement in the separate child 1-19 support account. 1-20 (c) The obligee shall notify the obligor and the Title IV-D 1-21 agency, local registry, or state disbursement unit on or before the 1-22 date the first child support payment is due that the obligee has 1-23 opened a separate child support account and shall furnish the 1-24 obligor and the Title IV-D agency, local registry, or state 2-1 disbursement unit with the name of the financial institution and 2-2 the account number. 2-3 (d) The obligor is responsible for the costs of the separate 2-4 child support account. 2-5 (e) The obligee and obligor each have access to account 2-6 records and statements. 2-7 (f) Account records and statements are subject to subpoena. 2-8 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 2-9 applies only to a court order providing for the payment of child 2-10 support entered on or after that date. A court order entered 2-11 before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it 2-12 existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that 2-13 law is continued in effect for that purpose.