78R10624 JMM-D
By: Farrar H.B. No. 2856
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2856:
By: Goodman C.S.H.B. No. 2856
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain fees collected by a domestic relations office.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 203.005, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
follows:
(a) The administering entity may authorize a domestic
relations office to assess and collect:
(1) an initial operations fee not to exceed $15 to be
paid to the domestic relations office on the filing of a suit;
(2) in a county that has a child support enforcement
cooperative agreement with the Title IV-D agency, an initial child
support service fee not to exceed $36 to be paid to the domestic
relations office on the filing of a suit;
(3) a reasonable application fee to be paid by an
applicant requesting services from the office;
(4) a reasonable attorney's fee and court costs
incurred or ordered by the court;
(5) a monthly service fee not to exceed $3 to be paid
annually in advance by a managing conservator and possessory
conservator for whom the domestic relations office provides child
support services;
(6) community supervision fees as provided by Chapter
157 if community supervision officers are employed by the domestic
relations office; and
(7) a reasonable fee for preparation of a
court-ordered social study.
(e) A fee authorized by this section for providing child
support services is part of the child support obligation and may be
enforced against both an obligor and obligee by any method
available for the enforcement of child support, including contempt.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.