| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to requirements for certain orders and judgments rendered |
|
|
in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 105.006, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsections (c-1), (c-2), and (i) and amending Subsection |
|
|
(f) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c-1) Except as provided by Subsection (c-2), if a court |
|
|
renders an order under Subsection (c) prohibiting the disclosure of |
|
|
a party's information, the court shall require that the party |
|
|
provide to the court, for inclusion in the final order, an e-mail |
|
|
address at which the party may receive: |
|
|
(1) notice and service of process of subsequent |
|
|
motions, petitions, or other legal pleadings using the electronic |
|
|
filing system established under Section 72.031, Government Code; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(2) other legal documents or required notices. |
|
|
(c-2) If the court finds that requiring a party to provide |
|
|
an e-mail address under Subsection (c-1) is likely to endanger the |
|
|
safety of the party, the court may not require the party to provide |
|
|
the e-mail address under that subsection. |
|
|
(f) Except for an action in which contempt is sought, in any |
|
|
subsequent child support modification or enforcement action, the |
|
|
court may, on a showing that diligent effort has been made to |
|
|
determine the location of a party, consider due process |
|
|
requirements for notice and service of process to be met with |
|
|
respect to that party on delivery of written notice to the most |
|
|
recent residence address, e-mail address, or address of employment |
|
|
filed by that party with the court and the state case registry. |
|
|
(i) The clerk may send orders, notices, and other documents |
|
|
relating to a final order to which this section applies to the |
|
|
e-mail address provided by a party under this section using the |
|
|
electronic filing system established under Section 72.031, |
|
|
Government Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 106.002, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) In rendering a judgment for attorney's fees or expenses |
|
|
under this section, the court shall render the judgment separate |
|
|
from any judgment confirming the amount of arrearages under Section |
|
|
157.263. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 157.167, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a-1) In rendering a judgment for attorney's fees and court |
|
|
costs under Subsection (a), the court shall render the judgment |
|
|
separate from any judgment confirming the amount of arrearages |
|
|
under Section 157.263. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
|
|
suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is pending in a |
|
|
trial court on the effective date of this Act or that is filed on or |
|
|
after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1404 passed the Senate on |
|
|
April 10, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Secretary of the Senate |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1404 passed the House on |
|
|
May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 131, Nays 5, three |
|
|
present not voting. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Approved: |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Governor |