BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1965

By: Creighton

Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note various issues of concern regarding a suit affecting a parent-child relationship, including the burden of making certain court appearances and the types of assets used to satisfy a child support obligation. S.B. 1965 seeks to address these issues in order to ensure that the law is fair and clear. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1965 amends the Family Code to authorize a court to conduct the release hearing of a respondent who is taken into custody for failure to appear at an enforcement hearing in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship through the use of teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or other remote electronic means if the court determines that the method of appearance will facilitate the hearing. The bill authorizes a court to conduct a hearing on the issue of a respondent's indigency in a motion for enforcement or a motion to revoke community service in such a suit through the use of teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or other remote electronic means if the court determines that conducting the hearing in that manner will facilitate the hearing. The bill includes the proceeds derived from the sale of oil and gas production from an oil or gas well located in Texas among the real and personal property to which a child support lien attaches.

S.B. 1965 amends the Natural Resources Code to include payments that are subject to a child support lien or an order or writ of withholding from earnings for child support among the payments for proceeds derived from the sale of oil and gas production from an oil and gas well located in Texas that may be withheld without interest beyond the requisite time limits for such payments. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.