[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6264357,"mediaKeyId","3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8","parentId",3096773,"title","Bill would clarify comptroller’s role in remitting excess probate court fees","audioSeconds",119,"startMs",1497000,"endMs",1616000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8&start=1497&end=1616","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8/thumbnail_1497000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6264357/Texas/Bill-would-clarify-comptrollers-role-in-remitting-excess-probate-court-fees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264357-08994bcc54cc68d6445b0acc3365fe40/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656406&Signature=S0cx~cXAeP78NhCtjZjBzbivg8O6M9V5bd3v~0CI2f20J3fiRguQAocG2lrz6Nqg0-IuO7r0YkoyyXprLfL99Ake2PFTVLinm1n0QvriGY7jRJ2bUEUmtLgPmmAHC4kSako6VZT-TPrBSgiR6bQcyOLZ7JJ1cPMUMyJ8jh72IIHwvVjeNDhN5NKNCHgGOIjESRj7Gsc6oMfWFQIGZCUWprEDWhyVsQqPNo~gvCBHdgrUniv5nuM-zFiWJ9~kJqUggYTQRnAxdRZIDahzQqLygo7gSXCYTl8Ucjh1NAo9N~GcTFtbouPnyAJCc4Miy9vJFUlIKW7zbKJ9XNpyAI1NmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Legislature","date","2025-04-23T00:00:00Z","article","The committee considered Senate Bill 10 15, which would establish the comptroller as the sole officer responsible for determining remittance of excess fees related to statutory probate courts and clarify which court fees the comptroller should use under the Local Government Code.

The Dean explained the committee substitute would further clarify that fees remitted to the Office of Court Administration be included in the comptroller’s determinations. Guy Herman, presiding statutory probate court judge in Travis County and the statewide presiding judge elected by statutory probate judges, testified in support and said the funds historically returned to counties help support court creation and operations in large jurisdictions. “The excess funds come in, and they've been allocated back to the counties. And then that gives the county the impetus to have another statutory probate court when one needs to be created,” Herman said.

Herman urged restoring clarity about the comptroller’s notice to judges and counties regarding excess funds. The committee heard the testimony and left the bill pending; no roll call was recorded.

If enacted the bill would alter administrative responsibility for fee remittances; the hearing did not include cost estimates or an enactment date in the oral record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Jurisprudence April 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 10 15 would make the Texas comptroller the sole official responsible for deciding remittance of excess statutory probate court fees and clarify which court fees should be used in that calculation, proponents told the Committee on Jurisprudence.","taxTitle","Committee on Jurisprudence, Senate, Legislative, Texas","taxId",16926,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6264362,"Bill would require statewide elder‑abuse training for judges, authors say",145,1173000,1318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8&start=1173&end=1318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8/thumbnail_1173000.jpg","/articles/6264362/Texas/Bill-would-require-statewide-elderabuse-training-for-judges-authors-say","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264362-4a3c400e35385c0cd97dc5d5dae46312/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656406&Signature=jekHTy8m5O6wehGzAb-Dq~FrkT1OjqvNO64cmLV4sBFTFOtVrw~oda3jKWC~rBXDzh9mkdfdIj1xV1en7ePbrVRGI3c3uDWswhs6UaEUR3Bqa2ISlc34ExjQHikdSmOkhxNFxpazN4glI9wb9bOaUFWfe6E7s75tBau7LnTr6fDz6AsfXOGmeXdwhcw9UpZ9zRFGdVcmb6bV7k5YQJIa6NQbxWxoVcXGr5OZXxLZ02xqHu-tj2PP7kWBLw1Xsm1uhlMmsdDuvFXgBGDGl1SabER7QANzvMd-PpBbY-JfksiYn6g~hH6Lt-H5PNNu0XSRkKp~Uphs3omFeeoLls5d9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Mendez presented a committee substitute to Senate Bill 29 33 that would require elder‑abuse and neglect training for judges. The substitute was described as a legislative drafting change that adds the training requirement.

“Comprehensive training on elder abuse and exploitation” is needed, Judge Veronica Vasquez said, explaining that older adults are vulnerable because of cognitive or physical incapacitation and may be targeted for coercion, isolation and financial exploitation. “Judges must be trained to recognize the signs of both cognitive and physical incapacitation,” Vasquez testified, noting statewide intake and validated case counts cited from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and national estimates from the Elder Justice Roadmap.

Senator Mendez said the substitute would make training statewide and would apply beyond probate judges to county judges and county court‑at‑law judges who handle guardianship cases. The committee recorded the judge’s testimony and left the bill pending; no vote was taken at the hearing.

Proponents argued the training would improve judges’ ability to evaluate credibility, recognize undue influence and protect older adults in diverse proceedings where abuse can appear, including probate and domestic relations matters.","A committee substitute for Senate Bill 29‑33 would add elder‑abuse and neglect training for judges statewide; proponents including a Bexar County probate judge described frequent, complex elder‑abuse cases and urged mandated training. The committee left the bill pending.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6264367,"Committee hears evidence to halve interest rate on child support arrears; substitute delays effective date",987,163000,1150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8&start=163&end=1150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8/thumbnail_163000.jpg","/articles/6264367/Texas/Committee-hears-evidence-to-halve-interest-rate-on-child-support-arrears-substitute-delays-effective-date","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264367-da1d7c8e548ab0fc8addd47428668268/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656406&Signature=kneYE0wtalJHftKDFOQ53M5XH3DPhVXKel8hlSGmC8dyp~941rKRAflHozJwPLKWl38u3-IJGOHiIdP1WLAzB54z-6HlUIwHaI0WLuL~wGjYDHq5a88gJHq60lFf1ukfS5Dx9zpO2KKoUsSOwG4~2weC5u13Kq0mk777YUbs8aTuHOViiKiC9mjev7q3hlelAJeetHtjXX9VMNVUGL06KSW3l4HO0SsCm0K3f1ZEEerq69PFb0b42hx3IGh6M5Sm74UHMVQ4gtZo7wVwKFlvxT8bVouov9IEYfJ6vJsO~Al-oPgchOcChmCHG0u4h0c1alcv78Y-~Usoh3k7MlUUWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee considered a substitute to Senate Bill 6 29 that would reduce the interest rate on past‑due child support from 6% to 3% annually and—per a committee substitute requested by the Attorney General—change the statute’s effective date from Sept. 1, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026.

The Dean of the Senate summarized the scale of arrears and the bill’s intent, saying Texas faces “approximately $19,000,000,000” in unpaid child support and that lowering the interest rate from 6% to 3% would “make repayments more achievable, encouraging consistent payment behavior.” The committee then heard invited and public testimony in favor of the reduction.

Quentin Reiser, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and faculty affiliate at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work, testified in support and described empirical research showing lower interest rates slowed arrears growth and increased monthly payments after Wisconsin halved its rate. “When we reduce interest rates, we don't reduce accountability. We increase the chances that parents can actually fulfill their obligations,” Reiser said.

Lisa Marshall, CEO and founder of Fighting Homelessness, testified the state leads the nation in child‑support debt with “over 1,100,000 cases totaling $19,000,000,000” and that only “637,000 of these cases are making any payment,” attributing widespread nonpayment to unmanageable debt growth under 6% interest. Taryn Champagne, who said she is “in favor of Senate bill 6 29,” urged broader reform and noted different caseload figures from the Attorney General’s data, saying she had seen “about 928,000 on arrears with about $21,000,000,000 in debt.”

The committee received the testimony, asked clarifying questions about the Wisconsin findings and payment effects, and closed public testimony. The chair announced the bill was left pending; no committee vote was taken on the record. The committee substitute alters the enacted date to Jan. 1, 2026, per the Attorney General’s request to allow additional implementation time.","Supporters urged lowering interest on child support arrears from 6% to 3%, citing research and state arrears totals; a committee substitute requested by the Attorney General would delay the statute's effective date from Sept. 1, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026. The committee took public testimony and left the bill pending.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6264371,"Senator Parker proposes 180-day trial deadline for temporary managing conservatorship cases",0,983000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8&start=983&end=983","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8/thumbnail_983000.jpg","/articles/6264371/Texas/Senator-Parker-proposes-180-day-trial-deadline-for-temporary-managing-conservatorship-cases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264371-d3004b9dae9efd56c3c7570e6501d2f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656406&Signature=HOgp--7KiT7NIpaPTE4u7B4DdBCqRP-qoMytIWWuvHlPOMY6MTBhW1GxjZzXv6w5CeFCLgSu8i6bVXWMJQMiNNPqtK6pVj4KBedWqNFXKWqRxMJY5knuODNmWiklgscGJNPSz~mE~GqjqTg~7X9QlOWn53JzkCzLtEoqAci9xG9YCQaoL7ePiFA1x22fXOlI6pmzO~L2VWh6QHxVgiuqQ8Aq4XAblciNgh9PomatDBPwRmo6sOT8GEnjkJTs-tNgUK08Trk4a5ZxaFp-Afp1Ekpg~IDdAT8WrtL5Czf6ECs~qKAPr9TmtX2Px1nyrlqXQMWEf-uHKbjH9Uavt7l~uQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Parker laid out a committee substitute to Senate Bill 21 65 that would require a trial in temporary managing conservatorship cases to commence within 180 days of a child being found.

The change is aimed at reducing delays for children in conservatorship. “The substitute simply clarifies that in temporary managing conservatorship cases, the trial must commence within 180 days of the child being found,” Senator Parker said, adding that the bill targets children “that are falling through the cracks.”

Chair Hughes noted the committee substitute was before the panel and that, when a quorum is present, the committee would likely adopt and move it forward. No formal vote was recorded; the chair announced the bill was “left pending at this time.”

Because the committee did not take final action during the session, the substitute remains under consideration and no change to practice or statute has yet taken effect. The transcript shows only the committee-level presentation and the chair’s administrative comment; no witnesses or implementation details were provided.

Bills left pending at the committee stage are customarily scheduled for future consideration; the committee did not specify next steps or an implementation timeline at this hearing.","Senator Parker introduced a committee substitute for Senate Bill 21‑65 to require trials in temporary managing conservatorship cases to begin within 180 days of a child being found; the committee sent up the substitute and left the bill pending.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":103,"_43":114,"_45":114,"_47":115,"_49":116,"_51":117,"_53":118,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":119,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":120,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6264352,"Bill would allow indigent parents to select their court‑appointed attorney in certain DFPS cases",1716000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8&start=1716&end=1716","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096773-e2ec39833a4da00c83e8011002f18ac8/thumbnail_1716000.jpg","/articles/6264352/Texas/Bill-would-allow-indigent-parents-to-select-their-courtappointed-attorney-in-certain-DFPS-cases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264352-8917d84dc40397a3ec2584276b43a365/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656406&Signature=O89sxk5lzvjwwBcCVDoRYl9xdnWEu6YOabs~BDEziGQs5KB0ySMLl6kp9hfvq5i6PKHgepHF6ryXMrzeEt-6Cu7WQqdn6txtFLwQUbZwkqHuzKqAaBnde32Dz6xXS-wCLHNGN0ykCp4L~sF~X4W2USLKF4YN3iw5mIVP6q8~QW8~0RKkib1bMYaBmcPBvyUUb1ck5gZSjt4iHyzW2DbFyPVioPRcJngtXJpqb5tYJudzGjUIoSdgC9~GuzGxLcA2SNJYDP4CcfaG2mVQj2wvYceKz9k2PuJE0D-o7ZHLG2gSXKRDbWdO~TInrJC~Dm8-c12my1XwjA9hV0e5ttek6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 25 01, explained to the committee by the Dean, would allow indigent parents in DFPS child‑welfare cases to select their own attorney to serve as attorney ad litem, provided the attorney is licensed and qualified. When a selected attorney files a notice of appearance, the substitute would terminate any previously appointed attorney ad litem and entitle the selected attorney to the same compensation county courts provide to court‑appointed counsel.

Multiple witnesses testified in support. Julia Hatcher, president of the Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys, said the bill would give parents “the right to choose their own counsel” and could improve representation quality. Jeremy Newman, vice president of the Family Freedom Project, and Andrew Brown, vice president of policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, both urged the committee to grant parents the right to select counsel, arguing early, high‑quality representation improves outcomes. Newman said the bill would let families replace attorneys they perceive as not actively representing them. Brown said the bill mirrors prior measures that expanded family choice of service providers and argued it would improve access to counsel.

The Dean and witnesses confirmed the substitute does not change the funding mechanism: the selected attorney would be paid at the same rates used for court‑appointed counsel in the county. The committee heard no opposing testimony and left the bill pending; no committee vote was recorded during this session.","Senate Bill 25‑01 would permit indigent parents in Department of Family and Protective Services cases to choose a licensed, qualified attorney to replace a court‑appointed attorney; the committee heard unanimous supporting testimony from family defense attorneys, policy advocates and legal organizations and left the bill pending.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would clarify comptroller’s role in remitting excess probate court fees

Bill would require statewide elder‑abuse training for judges, authors say

Committee hears evidence to halve interest rate on child support arrears; substitute delays effective date

Senator Parker proposes 180-day trial deadline for temporary managing conservatorship cases

Bill would allow indigent parents to select their court‑appointed attorney in certain DFPS cases