H.B. No. 518




AN ACT

relating to the service of citation by publication in a suit 
affecting the parent-child relationship and to the eligibility of 
certain child-support obligors for state grants, loans, or 
contracts.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 102.010, Family Code, is amended by 
adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:
	(d)  In any suit in which service of citation is by 
publication, a statement of the evidence of service, approved and 
signed by the court, must be filed with the papers of the suit as a 
part of the record.
	(e)  In a suit filed under Chapter 161 or 262 in which the 
last name of the respondent is unknown, the court may order 
substituted service of citation by publication, including 
publication by posting the citation at the courthouse door for a 
specified time, if the court finds and states in its order that the 
method of substituted service is as likely as citation by 
publication in a newspaper in the manner described by Subsection 
(b) to give the respondent actual notice of the suit.  If the court 
orders that citation by publication shall be completed by posting 
the citation at the courthouse door for a specified time, service 
must be completed on, and the answer date is computed from, the 
expiration date of the posting period.  If the court orders another 
method of substituted service of citation by publication, service 
shall be completed as directed by the court.
	SECTION 2.  Section 231.006(b), Family Code, is amended to 
read as follows:  
	(b)  A child support obligor or business entity ineligible to 
receive payments under Subsection (a) remains ineligible until:
		(1)  all arrearages have been paid; [or]                     
		(2)  the obligor is in compliance with a written 
repayment agreement or court order as to any existing deliquency; 
or
		(3)  the court of continuing jurisdiction over the 
child support order has granted the obligor an exemption from 
Subsection (a) as part of a court-supervised effort to improve 
earnings and child support payments.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship 
filed on or after that date.  A suit affecting the parent-child 
relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is 
governed by the law in effect on the date that the suit was filed, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 518 was passed by the House on April 
24, 2003, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in 
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 518 on May 31, 2003, by a non-record 
vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	
I certify that H.B. No. 518 was passed by the Senate, with 
amendments, on May 28, 2003, by a viva-voce vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                      Secretary of the Senate   



APPROVED: __________________                                                
 
                Date                                                         




 
         __________________                                              
 
              Governor