Sec. 204.004.  FUNDING.  (a)  To provide or recover the costs of providing services authorized by this chapter, a commissioners court, on its behalf or on behalf of the domestic relations office, may:
(1)  provide by order for the assessment and collection of a reasonable fee at the time a party files a suit affecting the parent-child relationship;
(2)  provide by order for the assessment and collection of a fee of $3 per month at a time specified for payment of child support;
(3)  provide by order for the assessment and collection of a late payment fee of $4 per month to be imposed if an obligor does not make a payment of child support in full when due;
(4)  accept or receive funds from public grants or private sources available for providing services authorized by this chapter;  or
(5)  use any combination of funding sources specified by this subsection.
(b)  The commissioners court, on its behalf or on behalf of the domestic relations office, may:
(1)  provide by order for reasonable exemptions from the collection of fees authorized by Subsection (a);  and
(2)  require payment of a fee authorized by Subsection (a)(2) annually and in advance.
(c)  The commissioners court may not charge a fee under Subsection (a)(2) if the amount of child support ordered to be paid is less than the equivalent of $100 per month.
(d)  The fees established under Subsection (a) may be collected by any means provided for the collection of child support.  The commissioners court may provide by order, on its behalf or on behalf of the domestic relations office, for the manner of collection of fees and the apportionment of payments received to meet fee obligations.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1053, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.  Redesignated from Human Resources Code Sec. 153.004 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 118, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.