BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1227

By: Leman

Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that when a child is placed in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) there often is an existing court order for the financial support of the child and that the office of the attorney general (OAG) should be notified so that the support payments may be properly routed and received. Relatedly, there are concerns about both the lack of an established deadline for OAG notification and the undue financial burden often placed on the family caring for the child when the payments are not received in a timely manner. H.B. 1227 seeks to address these concerns and help to ensure that families receive this financial support in a timely manner by requiring the OAG to be notified by a specified deadline of a court order that modifies an existing order for the support of a child in DFPS conservatorship to require that the payments be made to DFPS.

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

H.B. 1227 amends the Family Code to require a court that renders an order modifying an existing order for financial support for a child in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to require that the payments be made to DFPS to provide notice of the order to the office of the attorney general not later than the 10th day after the date the order is rendered.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.