HB 2558: bill bars contempt for child support owed while locked up

Caption

relating to the child support obligation of an obligor during the obligor's confinement in jail or prison.

Summary

Applies after at least 90 straight days in jail or prison.

The bill bars a court from holding a parent in contempt for unpaid child support that built up while that parent was locked up in jail or prison for at least 90 straight days. The parent, or the parent's lawyer if the parent is still confined, must show credible evidence that the parent had no money to pay during that time. The shield does not cover confinement for family violence against the other parent or the child, or confinement for failing to pay support, and it applies to contempt hearings that start on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 958 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 958 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on Apr 29, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Jurisprudence committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2558 · 2025-02-07

SOLD BY

Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr.DHouse 142

Rep. Linda GarciaDHouse 107

ITEM

relating to the child support obligation of an obligor during the obligor's confinement in jail or prison.

WHAT IT DOES

Applies after at least 90 straight days in jail or prison.

The bill bars a court from holding a parent in contempt for unpaid child support that built up while that parent was locked up in jail or prison for at least 90 straight days. The parent, or the parent's lawyer if the parent is still confined, must show credible evidence that the parent had no money to pay during that time. The shield does not cover confinement for family violence against the other parent or the child, or confinement for failing to pay support, and it applies to contempt hearings that start on or after September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 10, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Feb 7, 2025Filed
Mar 17, 2025Read first time
Mar 17, 2025Referred to s/c on Family & Fiduciary Relationships by Speaker
Mar 24, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Mar 24, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Mar 24, 2025Committee substitute considered in s/c
Mar 24, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Mar 24, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
Apr 8, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
Apr 8, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 8, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 8, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 16, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 16, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 17, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 22, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 25, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 28, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 28, 2025Passed to engrossment
Apr 28, 2025Record vote RV#647
Apr 28, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 29, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 29, 2025Passed
Apr 29, 2025Record vote RV#743
Apr 29, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 29, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 29, 2025Received from the House
Apr 30, 2025Read first time
Apr 30, 2025Referred to Jurisprudence

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 145 yea · 1 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 29, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Harold V. Dutton Jr.

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$66K Texas Sands PAC$58K Charter Schools Now PAC$36K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 29, 2024 to Oct 17, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$65,748.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,748.00

Cash: $32,500.00
Paid by others: $33,248.00
Total: $65,748.00

mail $33,248.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 17, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986461, 101011085, 101033172, 101044523, 101044526, 101072841.

Texas Sands PAC$58,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$58,000.00

Cash: $58,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $58,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Feb 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986461, 101044526.

Charter Schools Now PAC$36,000.00

Charter Schools Now PAC

$36,000.00

Cash: $1,000.00
Paid by others: $35,000.00
Total: $36,000.00

Other filed descriptions $35,000.00

Also funds 89 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jan 22, 2026 to Feb 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101044523, 101061631.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,748.00

Cash: $32,500.00
Paid by others: $33,248.00
Total: $65,748.00

mail $33,248.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 17, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986461, 101011085, 101033172, 101044523, 101044526, 101072841.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$58,000.00

Cash: $58,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $58,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Feb 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986461, 101044526.

×

Charter Schools Now PAC

$36,000.00

Cash: $1,000.00
Paid by others: $35,000.00
Total: $36,000.00

Other filed descriptions $35,000.00

Also funds 89 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jan 22, 2026 to Feb 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101044523, 101061631.

Votes2

House Apr 29, 2025

Yea: 145
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 2
Excused: 1

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 743

HB 2558 was passed by (Record 743): 145 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 145 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House Apr 28, 2025

Yea: 143
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 1

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 647

CSHB 2558 was passed to engrossment by (Record 647): 143 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 143 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses7

For: 4
Against: 0
On: 3

Names

For

Self2 registrations
Self; Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance1 registration
Self; Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys1 registration

On

Office of the Attorney General - Child Support Division1 registration
Self2 registrations

Sources

7 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 10, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 958

by Rep. Dutton, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 2, 2023: Referred to Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Relating to the child support obligation of an obligor during the obligor's confinement in jail or prison.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 7, 2025

04/30/2025 S Referred to Jurisprudence

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Criminal Procedure--Sentencing & Punishment

Family--Child Support

Family--Family Violence

Text

The text as introduced · 286 words

89R11450 KRM-D

By: Dutton
H.B. No. 2558

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the child support obligation of an obligor during the

obligor's confinement in jail or prison.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 157.162, Family Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) The court may not find a respondent in contempt of court

for failure to pay child support if the respondent, or the

respondent's attorney if the respondent is confined in jail or

prison at the time of the hearing, appears at the hearing and

presents credible evidence showing that:

(1) the unpaid child support accrued during the

obligor's confinement in a local, state, or federal jail or prison

for a period of at least 90 consecutive days, other than

confinement:

(A) for an offense constituting an act of family

violence, as defined by Section 71.004, committed against the

obligee or a child covered by the child support order; or

(B) resulting from the obligor's failure to

comply with a child support order; and

(2) the obligor did not have sufficient resources

available to comply with the child support order during the period

of the obligor's confinement.

SECTION 2. Section 157.162(d), Family Code, as added by

this Act, applies to a hearing to enforce an order in a suit

affecting the parent-child relationship that commences on or after

the effective date of this Act. A hearing that commences before the

effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the

date the hearing commenced, and the former law is continued in

effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Charter Schools Now PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Charter Schools Now PAC

House Apr 29, 2025

House Apr 28, 2025

For

On

88R HB 958