Bill Text: TX HB545 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the enforcement of an order to pay child support by contempt.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2015-05-22 - Left pending in committee [HB545 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB545-Engrossed.html
By: Dutton | H.B. No. 545 |
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relating to the enforcement of an order to pay child support by | ||
contempt. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 157.162, Family Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: | ||
(d) If a respondent appears at the hearing for failure to | ||
pay child support with a copy of the payment record or other | ||
evidence satisfactory to the court showing that the respondent is | ||
current in the payment of child support as ordered by the court, the | ||
court may hold the respondent in contempt but may not punish the | ||
respondent by confinement unless, in the 24 months preceding the | ||
date of the hearing, the respondent has been held in contempt of | ||
court for failure to pay child support. | ||
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a | ||
hearing to enforce an order in a suit affecting the parent-child | ||
relationship that commences on or after the effective date of this | ||
Act. A hearing that commences before the effective date of this Act | ||
is governed by the law in effect on the date the hearing commenced, | ||
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |