By: Watson, Zaffirini S.B. No. 1514
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to child support arrearages and a credit based on certain
  disability payments.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 157, Family Code, is
  amended by adding Section 157.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 157.009.  CREDIT FOR PAYMENT OF DISABILITY BENEFITS.
  In addition to any other credit or offset available to an obligor
  under this title, if a child for whom the obligor owes child support
  receives a lump-sum payment as a result of the obligor's disability
  and that payment is made to the obligee as the representative payee
  of the child, the obligor is entitled to a credit.  The credit under
  this section is equal to the amount of the lump-sum payment and
  shall be applied to any child support arrearage and interest owed by
  the obligor on behalf of that child at the time the payment is made.
         SECTION 2.  Subsection (f), Section 157.262, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (f)  The money judgment for arrearages rendered by the court
  may be subject to a counterclaim or offset as provided by this title
  [subchapter].
         SECTION 3.  Section 157.009, Family Code, as added by this
  Act, applies only to a money judgment for child support arrearages
  that is rendered on or after the effective date of this Act. A money
  judgment for child support arrearages rendered before the effective
  date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date that
  the judgment was rendered, and the former law is continued in effect
  for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.