By: Creighton	S.B. No. 1726
	(Riddle)

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to suits affecting the parent-child relationship and the
	enforcement of child support.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 355.102(e), Estates Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(e)  Class 4 claims are composed of claims:
	(1)  for the principal amount of and accrued interest
	on delinquent child support and child support arrearages that have
	been:
	(A)  confirmed as a [and reduced to money]
	judgment or a determination of arrearages by a court under Title 5,
	Family Code; or
	(B)  administratively[, as] determined by the
	Title IV-D agency, as defined by Section 101.033, Family Code, in a
	Title IV-D case, as defined by Section 101.034 [under Subchapter F,
	Chapter 157], Family Code;[,] and
	(2)  [claims] for unpaid child support obligations
	under Section 154.015, Family Code.
	SECTION 2.  Section 101.031, Family Code, is amended to read
	as follows:
	Sec. 101.031.  SUIT. "Suit" means a legal action under this
	title [suit affecting the parent-child relationship].
	SECTION 3.  Section 105.006(c), Family Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(c)  If a court finds after notice and hearing that requiring
	a party to provide the information required by this section to
	another party is likely to cause the child or a conservator
	harassment, abuse, serious harm, or injury, or to subject the child
	or a conservator to family violence, as defined by Section 71.004,
	the court may:
	(1)  order the information not to be disclosed to
	another party; or
	(2)  render any other order the court considers
	necessary.
	SECTION 4.  Section 154.187, Family Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (i) to read
	as follows:
	(c)  An employer who has received an order or notice under
	this subchapter shall provide to the sender, [by first class mail]
	not later than the 40th day after the date the employer receives the
	order or notice, a statement that the child:
	(1)  has been enrolled in the employer's health
	insurance plan or is already enrolled in another health insurance
	plan in accordance with a previous child support or medical support
	order to which the employee is subject; or
	(2)  cannot be enrolled or cannot be enrolled
	permanently in the employer's health insurance plan and provide the
	reason why coverage or permanent coverage cannot be provided.
	(d)  If the employee ceases employment or if the health
	insurance coverage lapses, the employer shall provide to the
	sender, [by first class mail] not later than the 15th day after the
	date of the termination of employment or the lapse of the coverage,
	notice of the termination or lapse and of the availability of any
	conversion privileges.
	(i)  The notices required by Subsections (c) and (d) must be
	provided to the sender by first class mail, unless the sender is the
	Title IV-D agency.  Notices to the Title IV-D agency may be provided
	electronically or via first class mail.
	SECTION 5.  Sections 157.065(a) and (b), Family Code, are
	amended to read as follows:
	(a)  If a party has been ordered under Chapter 105 to provide
	the court and the state case registry with the party's current
	mailing address, notice of a hearing on a motion for enforcement or
	on a request for a court order implementing a postjudgment remedy
	for the collection of child support may be served by mailing a copy
	of the notice to the respondent, together with a copy of the motion
	or request, by first class mail to the last mailing address of the
	respondent on file with the court and the registry.
	(b)  The notice may be sent by the clerk of the court, the
	[movant's] attorney for the movant or party requesting a court
	order, or any person entitled to the address information as
	provided in Chapter 105.
	SECTION 6.  Section 157.264(a), Family Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(a)  A money judgment rendered as provided in this subchapter
	or a judgment for retroactive child support rendered under Chapter
	154 may be enforced by any means available for the enforcement of a
	judgment for debts or the collection of child support.
	SECTION 7.  Section 160.302, Family Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
	(d)  An acknowledgment of paternity constitutes an affidavit
	under Section 666(a)(5)(C), Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section
	666(a)(5)(C)).
	SECTION 8.  Section 232.001, Family Code, is amended by
	adding Subdivision (3-a) to read as follows:
	(3-a)  "Renewal" means any instance when a licensing
	authority:
	(A)  renews, extends, recertifies, or reissues a
	license; or
	(B)  periodically certifies a licensee to be in
	good standing with the licensing authority based on the required
	payment of fees or dues or the performance of some other mandated
	action or activity.
	SECTION 9.  Sections 232.0135(b), (c), and (d), Family Code,
	are amended to read as follows:
	(b)  A licensing authority that receives the information
	described by Subsection (a) shall refuse to approve [accept] an
	application for issuance of a license to the obligor or renewal of
	an existing license of the obligor until the authority is notified
	by the child support agency that the obligor has:
	(1)  paid all child support arrearages;
	(2)  made an immediate payment of not less than $200
	toward child support arrearages owed and established with the
	agency a satisfactory repayment schedule for the remainder or is in
	compliance with a court order for payment of the arrearages;
	(3)  been granted an exemption from this subsection as
	part of a court-supervised plan to improve the obligor's earnings
	and child support payments; or
	(4)  successfully contested the denial of issuance or
	renewal of license under Subsection (d).
	(c)  On providing a licensing authority with the notice
	described by Subsection (a), the child support agency shall send a
	copy to the obligor by first class mail and inform the obligor of
	the steps the obligor must take to permit the authority to approve
	[accept] the obligor's application for license issuance or renewal.
	(d)  An obligor receiving notice under Subsection (c) may
	request a review by the child support agency to resolve any issue in
	dispute regarding the identity of the obligor or the existence or
	amount of child support arrearages. The agency shall promptly
	provide an opportunity for a review, either by telephone or in
	person, as appropriate to the circumstances. After the review, if
	appropriate, the agency may notify the licensing authority that it
	may approve [accept] the obligor's application for issuance or
	renewal of license. If the agency and the obligor fail to resolve
	any issue in dispute, the obligor, not later than the 30th day after
	the date of receiving notice of the agency's determination from the
	review, may file a motion with the court to direct the agency to
	withdraw the notice under Subsection (a) and request a hearing on
	the motion. The obligor's application for license issuance or
	renewal may not be approved [accepted] by the licensing authority
	until the court rules on the motion. If, after a review by the
	agency or a hearing by the court, the agency withdraws the notice
	under Subsection (a), the agency shall reimburse the obligor the
	amount of any fee charged the obligor under Section 232.014.
	SECTION 10.  Subchapter A, Chapter 406, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 406.026 to read as follows:
	Sec. 406.026.  ELECTRONIC NOTARIZATION. In a proceeding
	filed under Title 5, Family Code, if a signature is required to be
	notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the
	requirement may be satisfied if the electronic signature of the
	person authorized to perform that act, together with all other
	information required to be included by other applicable law, is
	attached to or logically associated with the signature required to
	be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath.
	SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.