H.B. No. 1846

	AN ACT
	relating to suspension or denial of issuance or renewal of a license
	for failure to pay child support.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 232.008, Family Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
	follows:
	(b)  Subject to Subsection (b-1), the [The] court or Title
	IV-D agency may stay an order suspending a license conditioned on
	the individual's compliance with:
	(1)  a reasonable repayment schedule that is
	incorporated in the order;
	(2)  the requirements of a reissued and delivered
	subpoena; or
	(3)  the requirements of any court order pertaining to
	the possession of or access to a child.
	(b-1)  The court or Title IV-D agency may not stay an order
	under Subsection (b)(1) unless the individual makes an immediate
	partial payment in an amount specified by the court or Title IV-D
	agency. The amount specified may not be less than $200.
	SECTION 2.  Section 232.0135(b), Family Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(b)  A licensing authority that receives the information
	described by Subsection (a) shall refuse to 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).
	SECTION 3.  (a) Section 232.008(b-1), Family Code, as added
	by this Act, applies only to an order suspending a license that is
	rendered on or after the effective date of this Act. An order
	suspending a license rendered before the effective date of this Act
	is governed by the law in effect on the date the order was rendered,
	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	(b)  Section 232.0135(b), Family Code, as amended by this
	Act, applies only to a notice provided under Section 232.0135(a),
	Family Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. A notice
	provided under Section 232.0135(a), Family Code, before the
	effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
	date the notice was provided, and the former law is continued in
	effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1846 was passed by the House on May 2,
	2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 5, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1846 was passed by the Senate on May
	22, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor