LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 3, 2013

TO:
Honorable Tryon D. Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB355 by West (Relating to the powers and duties of the Title IV-D agency regarding the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support and in connection with an application for a marriage license or protective order; authorizing a surcharge.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Family Code and require the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to inform marriage license applicants that a premarital education handbook is available and post it on the agency website. The OAG shall provide information on how an applicant may obtain a paper copy if the applicant does not have Internet access. In addition, a protective order would be required to contain information on whether an applicant is receiving child support services through the state.

The bill would also authorize the OAG to impose a payment processing surcharge in an amount not to exceed $25 for each violation by an employer who fails to use electronic funds transfer or electronic data interchange related to remitting child support obligations owed by its employees.  In addition, the bill would amend various notification and filing criteria for both the OAG and the courts.
 
The bill could increase revenue at the OAG due to the collection of fines from employers who violate provisions of the bill; however, it is anticipated that any additional revenue related to implementation of the bill would not be significant. The Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Court Administration anticipate that any additional cost associated with the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.


Local Government Impact

Chambers County, Denton County, Gaudalupe County, and Kaufman County reported that any impact associated with provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.

Office of Court Administration reported no significant fiscal impact to units local government associated with the bill.



Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General
LBB Staff:
UP, KKR, CL, EP, JM