The family trust fund is created for administration by the attorney general, and its money may be used only for listed family-support purposes. The premarital education handbook must be available to marriage license applicants online or in paper form if they lack internet access, and it must cover specified topics.
Sec. 2.014. FAMILY TRUST FUND. (a) The family trust fund is created as a trust fund with the state comptroller and shall be administered by the attorney general for the beneficiaries of the fund. (b) Money in the trust fund is derived from depositing $3 of each marriage license fee as authorized under Section 118.018(c), Local Government Code, and may be used only for: (1) the development of a premarital education handbook; (2) grants to institutions of higher education having academic departments that are capable of research on marriage and divorce that will assist in determining programs, courses, and policies to help strengthen families and assist children whose parents are divorcing; (3) support for counties to create or administer free or low-cost premarital education courses; (4) programs intended to reduce the amount of delinquent child support; and (5) other programs the attorney general determines will assist families in this state. (c) The premarital education handbook under Subsection (b)(1) must: (1) as provided by Section 2.009(c)(5), be made available to each applicant for a marriage license in an electronic form on the Internet website of the child support division of the office of the attorney general or, for an applicant who does not have Internet access, in paper copy form; and (2) contain information on: (A) conflict management; (B) communication skills; (C) children and parenting responsibilities; and (D) financial responsibilities. (d) Repealed by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 553 (S.B. 526), Sec. 6(b), and Ch. 755 (S.B. 1731), Sec. 15(b), eff. September 1, 2017. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 185, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 742 (S.B. 355), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 890 (H.B. 984), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 553 (S.B. 526), Sec. 6(b), eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 755 (S.B. 1731), Sec. 15(b), eff. September 1, 2017. SUBCHAPTER B. UNDERAGE APPLICANTS