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.