HBA-BSM, LJP H.B. 594 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 594 By: Goodman Juvenile Justice & Family Issues 2/11/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently there is no statute that specifically authorizes a party to request that a court state in writing its findings of fact and conclusions of law in relation to the character of assets, the values of the community assets, and the amount of reimbursement claims and offsets recognized by the courts in a suit for dissolution of a marriage. House Bill 594 authorizes a party to request such findings of fact and conclusions of law, which in turn will help these cases be properly reviewed on appeal. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 594 amends the Family Code to require a court upon a request to state in writing its findings of fact and conclusions of law in a suit for dissolution of a marriage in which a court has rendered a judgment dividing the estate of the parties. The bill requires the findings of fact and conclusions of law to include the character of the disputed assets, value of the community assets and liabilities on which disputed evidence has been presented, and the amount of reimbursement claims and offsets found by the court to be equitable. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.