S.B. No. 1965
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to enforcement of child support obligations.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 157.105, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  The court may conduct the release hearing under
  Subsection (a) through the use of teleconferencing,
  videoconferencing, or other remote electronic means if the court
  determines that the method of appearance will facilitate the
  hearing.
         SECTION 2.  Section 157.163, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:
         (d-1)  The court may conduct a hearing on the issue of
  indigency through the use of teleconferencing, videoconferencing,
  or other remote electronic means if the court determines that
  conducting the hearing in that manner will facilitate the hearing.
         SECTION 3.  Section 157.317(a), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  A child support lien attaches to all real and personal
  property not exempt under the Texas Constitution or other law,
  including:
               (1)  an account in a financial institution;
               (2)  a retirement plan, including an individual
  retirement account;
               (3)  the proceeds of an insurance policy, including the
  proceeds from a life insurance policy or annuity contract and the
  proceeds from the sale or assignment of life insurance or annuity
  benefits, a claim for compensation, or a settlement or award for the
  claim for compensation, due to or owned by the obligor; [and]
               (4)  property seized and subject to forfeiture under
  Chapter 59, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
               (5)  the proceeds derived from the sale of oil or gas
  production from an oil or gas well located in this state.
         SECTION 4.  Section 91.402(b), Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  Payments may be withheld without interest beyond the
  time limits set out in Subsection (a) if:
               (1)  [of this section when] there is:
                     (A) [(1)]  a dispute concerning title that would
  affect distribution of payments;
                     (B) [(2)]  a reasonable doubt that the payee:
                           (i) [(A)]  has sold or authorized the sale
  of its share of the oil or gas to the purchaser of such production;
  or
                           (ii) [(B)]  has clear title to the interest
  in the proceeds of production; or
                     (C) [(3)]  a requirement in a title opinion that
  places in issue the title, identity, or whereabouts of the payee and
  that has not been satisfied by the payee after a reasonable request
  for curative information has been made by the payor; or
               (2)  the payments are subject to a child support lien
  under Chapter 157, Family Code, or an order or writ of withholding
  issued under Chapter 158, Family Code.
         SECTION 5.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  157.317, Family Code, applies only to a child support lien notice
  issued on or after the effective date of this Act.  A child support
  lien notice issued before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect on the date the lien notice was issued, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1965 passed the Senate on
  April 19, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1965 passed the House on
  May 19, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, two
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor