HBA-SEB S.B. 686 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 686
By: Brown
Juvenile Justice and Family Issues
4/21/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a child support lien may be filed with a county clerk for past
due child support.  A county clerk is prohibited from charging a filing fee
to the attorney general's office, a domestic relations office, or a friend
of the court.  S.B. 686 prohibits the county clerk from charging any party
a fee for recording a notice of lien or for releasing the lien.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 157.315, Family Code, by amending Subsection (b)
and adding Subsection (c), as follows: 

(b)  Prohibits a county clerk from charging any party a fee for recording
the notice of a lien. Provides that the lien notice must be styled "Notice
of Child Support Lien" to qualify for the exemption.  Makes conforming
changes. 

(c)  Prohibits a county clerk from charging the Title IV-D agency (Office
of the Attorney General-Child Support Division), a domestic relations
office, or a friend of the court a fee for recording the release of a lien.
Provides that the lien release must be styled "Release of Child Support
Lien."  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.