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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requirements for certain orders and judgments rendered |
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in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 105.006, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (c-1), (c-2), and (i) and amending Subsection |
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(f) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) Except as provided by Subsection (c-2), if a court |
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renders an order under Subsection (c) prohibiting the disclosure of |
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a party's information, the court shall require that the party |
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provide to the court, for inclusion in the final order, an e-mail |
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address at which the party may receive: |
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(1) notice and service of process of subsequent |
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motions, petitions, or other legal pleadings using the electronic |
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filing system established under Section 72.031, Government Code; |
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and |
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(2) other legal documents or required notices. |
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(c-2) If the court finds that requiring a party to provide |
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an e-mail address under Subsection (c-1) is likely to endanger the |
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safety of the party, the court may not require the party to provide |
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the e-mail address under that subsection. |
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(f) Except for an action in which contempt is sought, in any |
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subsequent child support modification or enforcement action, the |
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court may, on a showing that diligent effort has been made to |
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determine the location of a party, consider due process |
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requirements for notice and service of process to be met with |
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respect to that party on delivery of written notice to the most |
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recent residence address, e-mail address, or address of employment |
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filed by that party with the court and the state case registry. |
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(i) The clerk may send orders, notices, and other documents |
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relating to a final order to which this section applies to the |
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e-mail address provided by a party under this section using the |
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electronic filing system established under Section 72.031, |
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Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 106.002, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) In rendering a judgment for attorney's fees or expenses |
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under this section, the court shall render the judgment separate |
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from any judgment confirming the amount of arrearages under Section |
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157.263. |
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SECTION 3. Section 157.167, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In rendering a judgment for attorney's fees and court |
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costs under Subsection (a), the court shall render the judgment |
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separate from any judgment confirming the amount of arrearages |
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under Section 157.263. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is pending in a |
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trial court on the effective date of this Act or that is filed on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |