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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the enforcement of a court order requiring an inmate |
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imprisoned in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to pay child |
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support. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 501.014(e), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(e) On notification by a court, the department shall |
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withdraw from an inmate's account any amount the inmate is ordered |
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to pay by order of the court under this subsection. On receipt of a |
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valid court order requiring an inmate to pay child support, the |
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department shall withdraw the appropriate amount from the inmate's |
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account under this subsection, regardless of whether the court |
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order is provided by the court or another person. The department |
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shall make a payment under this subsection as ordered by the court |
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to either the court or the party specified in the court order. The |
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department is not liable for withdrawing or failing to withdraw |
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money or making payments or failing to make payments under this |
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subsection. The department shall make withdrawals and payments |
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from an inmate's account under this subsection according to the |
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following schedule of priorities: |
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(1) as payment in full for all orders for child |
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support; |
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(2) as payment in full for all orders for restitution; |
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(3) as payment in full for all orders for |
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reimbursement of the Health and [Texas Department of] Human |
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Services Commission for financial assistance provided for the |
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child's health needs under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, to a |
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child of the inmate; |
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(4) as payment in full for all orders for court fees |
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and costs; |
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(5) as payment in full for all orders for fines; and |
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(6) as payment in full for any other court order, |
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judgment, or writ. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |