1-1 By: Goodman, Naishtat (Senate Sponsor - Harris) H.B. No. 591 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 2, 2001; 1-3 April 3, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Jurisprudence; May 1, 2001, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 1, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the liability of a parent who fails to provide 1-9 court-ordered health insurance for a child. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Section 154.188, Family Code, is amended to read 1-12 as follows: 1-13 Sec. 154.188. FAILURE TO PROVIDE REQUIRED HEALTH INSURANCE. 1-14 A parent ordered to provide health insurance who fails to do so is 1-15 liable for: 1-16 (1) necessary medical expenses of the child, without 1-17 regard to whether the expenses would have been paid if health 1-18 insurance had been provided; and 1-19 (2) the cost of health insurance premiums or 1-20 contributions, if any, paid on behalf of the child. 1-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 1-22 applies only to an action to enforce a medical support order 1-23 commenced on or after that date. An action to enforce a medical 1-24 support order commenced before the effective date of this Act is 1-25 governed by the law in effect on the date the action was commenced, 1-26 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-27 * * * * *