Bill Text: TX HB2637 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Relating to premarital education courses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-06 - Left pending in committee [HB2637 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB2637-Introduced.html

---

82R10748 JSC-D
By: Chisum H.B. No. 2637

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to premarital education courses.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 2, Family Code, is amended
by adding Section 2.0131 to read as follows:
Sec. 2.0131. CONTRACTS FOR PREMARITAL EDUCATION COURSES.
(a) The Health and Human Services Commission shall enter into a
contract with a nonprofit organization based in this state to
administer and coordinate the courses offered under Section 2.013.
The administration and coordination functions performed under the
contract include:
(1) ensuring service delivery in all areas of the
state;
(2) coordinating local resources working in the area
of healthy marriage development, including faith-based and
community organizations;
(3) providing:
(A) leadership and administrative functions;
(B) financial management services;
(C) technical support; and
(D) marketing support; and
(4) researching and evaluating the quality and
effectiveness of the premarital education courses offered.
(b) The contract must require the nonprofit organization to
operate an Internet website that:
(1) allows couples planning to marry to find a
premarital education course by geographic location;
(2) allows a provider of premarital education courses
to register with the nonprofit organization to indicate the
skills-based and research-based curriculum in which the registrant
is trained; and
(3) raises funds for the organization by selling
advertising space to entities that sell products or services that
promote healthy marriages.
(c) Money in the trust fund under Section 2.014 may be
disbursed under a contract entered into under this section for the
nonprofit organization's administration and coordination of
premarital education courses offered in this state.
(d) The nonprofit organization under this section may also
solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations to fulfill its
duties under the contract.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 2.013(c), if the nonprofit
organization determines that insufficient courses are available in
an area of the state, the nonprofit organization may designate
online courses that meet the requirements of Section 2.013 for
residents of that area.
(f) Only a resident of an area of the state described by
Subsection (e) may obtain a certificate by taking an online course
approved by the nonprofit organization.
SECTION 2. Section 2.014(b), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Money in the trust fund is derived from deposits
[depositing $3 of each marriage license fee as] authorized under
Section 118.022 [118.018(c)], Local Government Code, and may be
used only for:
(1) the development and distribution of a premarital
education handbook; and
(2) [grants to institutions of higher education having
academic departments that are capable of research on marriage and
divorce that will assist in determining programs, courses, and
policies to help strengthen families and assist children whose
parents are divorcing;
[(3)] support for a nonprofit organization pursuant to
a contract under Section 2.0131 [counties] to [create or]
administer and coordinate the [free or low-cost] premarital
education courses described by Section 2.013[;
[(4) programs intended to reduce the amount of
delinquent child support; and
[(5) other programs the attorney general determines
will assist families in this state].
SECTION 3. Section 118.022, Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 118.022. DISPOSITION OF MARRIAGE LICENSE AND
DECLARATION FEES. [(a)] If the county clerk collects a fee for
issuing a marriage license, the county clerk shall deposit, as
provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 133, $30 [:
[(1) $20] of each fee collected for issuing a marriage
license or $12.50 of each fee for recording a declaration of
informal marriage to be sent to the comptroller and deposited [as
provided by Subsection (b); and
[(2) $10 of each fee collected for issuing a marriage
license to be sent to the comptroller and deposited as provided by
Subsection (c).
[(b) The comptroller shall deposit the money received under
Subsection (a)(1) to the credit of the child abuse and neglect
prevention trust fund account established under Section 40.105,
Human Resources Code.
[(c) The comptroller shall deposit the money received under
Subsection (a)(2)] to the credit of the family trust fund account
established under Section 2.014, Family Code.
SECTION 4. (a) Section 2.013(e), Family Code, is repealed.
(b) Section 40.105, Human Resources Code, is repealed.
SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to fees for a marriage license or declaration of informal marriage
collected on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 6. The Health and Human Services Commission shall
enter into a contract under Section 2.0131, Family Code, as added by
this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this
Act and shall transition any existing data on premarital education
courses offered in this state to the nonprofit organization that is
a party to the contract.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.