Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions signed by the Governor as of November 21, 2023.
Section 159.307 - Duties of Support Enforcement Agency(a) A support enforcement agency of this state, on request, shall provide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter.(b) A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall: (1) take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state, or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;(2) request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time, and place for a hearing;(3) make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;(4) within two days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding, or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;(5) within two days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of communication in a record from the respondent or the respondent's attorney, send a copy of the communication to the petitioner; and(6) notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.(c) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration of a child support order in this state for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts:(1) to ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or(2) if two or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.(d) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or a judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amount stated in the foreign currency into the equivalent amount in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.(e) A support enforcement agency of this state shall issue, or request a tribunal of this state to issue, a child support order and an income-withholding order that redirects payment of current support, arrears, and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state under Section 159.319.(f) This chapter does not create or negate a relationship of attorney and client or other fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or the attorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.Amended by Acts 2015, Texas Acts of the 84th Leg. - Regular Session, ch. 368,Sec. 19, eff. 7/1/2015.Amended By Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1247, Sec. 17, eff. 9/1/2003.Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 607, Sec. 11, eff. 9/1/1997Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. 4/20/1995.