Texas
Proposed Texas bill could lower interest rate for overdue child support payments
SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County state senator filed a bill that would lower the interest rate for overdue child support payments.
Senate Bill 629 would drop the interest rate from 6% to 3%. The bill was filed by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D – Bexar County).
In an analysis, she said, in part, “lowering interest rates would make repayments more achievable, encouraging consistent payment behavior, especially among low-income earners.”
“We’ll get more payments because the payments are more affordable,” Zaffirini said during a committee meeting this session.
She’s gotten some support. Quentin Riser, an assistant professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, spoke in favor of the bill.
“This is not about letting anyone off the hook,” Riser said. “It’s about making repayment possible.”
But this bill has had backlash. John Gabriel, a senior visiting judge, wrote a letter to Sen. Zaffirini’s office in opposition.
“I didn’t think it was good policy, so I wanted to let her know,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel said he did not get a response.
Steven Sinkin, an attorney who specializes in the collection of past-due child support for all ages, said he was shocked to read the bill.
“It’s lowering the consequence, lowering the incentive, lowering and the protection for the women and children of the state,” Sinkin said. “Who are we helping? It is really incomprehensible.”
One of Sinkin’s clients is Veronica Posada. She’s working to collect child support from the father of her children and from her own dad, who didn’t pay her mother for years. She’s able to do this because there aren’t time limits for this kind of collection in Texas.
“I can’t understand their logic,” Posada said, talking about the bill. “You have families out there like mine. For 25 years, we didn’t collect child support because he thought it wasn’t necessary.”
She’s not the only San Antonio mom with concerns.
Josie Schlather it’s “a burden to fight, and it’s a burden not to fight.”
“There’s no loan that you can get that‘s 3% and it’s principal first,” Schlather said. “I have a daughter, and I have sons who witness all of this behavior. When you have obligations, you meet them and you honor them and you don’t get away with something because you can.”
KSAT reached out to Zaffirini for an interview, but she was unable to accommodate before the deadline.
“The rationale for filing my Senate Bill 629 is twofold: Representatives of the Office of the Attorney General requested the change, and national data, particularly from Wisconsin, show it works,” Zaffirini said in a statement, in part. “By making repayment more realistic, my bill would help more Texas families receive the support they deserve.”
KSAT reached out to the AG‘s office. A spokesperson said, “the OAG provides assistance strictly as a resource to all legislators and at no time should this be viewed as supporting or opposing specific legislation on any matter.”
The companion bill of SB 629 is HB 4213. It passed through to the Senate with an amendment. Instead of the proposed 3% interest rate, it says “the interest rate determined under Section 304.003, Finance Code.” KSAT is told that’s a higher rate than 6%.
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Copyright 2025 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday he has secured a settlement of bankruptcy claims against genetic testing company 23andMe stemming from a 2023 data breach that exposed personal information, including some genetic ancestry data, of 6.9 million customers worldwide.
Paxton’s office said the settlement includes $150 million for a multistate coalition of 42 states. But because of limited funds in 23andMe’s bankruptcy estate and competing claims, the states’ recovery will be $18 million paid immediately, with Texas receiving $1,266,860.
23andMe disclosed in October 2023 that attackers had accessed accounts affecting 6.9 million consumers. Some of the information was later posted for sale on the dark web, according to Paxton’s office, which said the company learned of the breach months after the data became publicly available. The office said 23andMe initially denied a breach and later blamed consumers’ account settings and password practices.
Paxton joined a multistate investigation that concluded 23andMe used unreasonable security practices and failed to implement adequate safeguards against hacking, the office said.
23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2025. Paxton’s office said the settlement incorporates privacy and cybersecurity requirements, including enhanced security standards, comprehensive risk assessments and creation of an independent advisory board, along with enforcement of state privacy laws and continued consumer data deletion rights.
“Companies that collect and profit from Texans’ most personal information have a legal duty to protect it,” Paxton said in a statement.
The company also agreed to a $46.75 million class-action settlement in the bankruptcy case for affected U.S. consumers who submitted claims by Feb. 17, 2026, Paxton’s office said.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
The Texas Longhorns entered the 2025 season with more expectations than any team has had to deal with in recent memory.
Many among the media were ready to crown the team and quarterback Arch Manning before they even played one game. Of course, those unrealistic expectations were never met, even though the team finished with a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines.
2026 is heading in the same direction for the Longhorns. Many believe head coach Steve Sarkisian has the most talented team in the country. But in order to fix the issues from this past season, the Longhorns needed to fix one issue that has cost them in the past.
Changing The Narrative
One of the biggest issues the Longhorns had last season was the play of the offensive line. It was apparent in the first game of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes that Manning didn’t have the pocket time needed to make big plays.
This offseason, Coach Sarkisian went out and found two massive transfer portal additions that should completely change the narrative on this offensive line.
It starts with potential starting right tackle Melvin Siani. Siani has spent time with the Temple Owls and last season with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The Longhorns are set at left tackle with Trevor Goosby, who could play himself into being a top 10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. If the team can get competent play from Siani, the offense will be able to open up the playbook, and the world may finally see Manning at his college peak.
The Longhorns also went out and found a potential fix at left guard for the 2026 season. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers transfer Laurence Seymore could be another strong patch for the holes in the offensive line.
After spending the first two seasons of his college career with the Miami Hurricanes, Seymore made stops with the Akron Zips and the Hilltoppers.
Of course, the one concern with Seymore is wondering if he can compete at the SEC level coming from the C-USA.
This season for the Longhorns starts and stops with the play of Manning. Coach Sarkisian and the rest of this coaching staff understood that protecting their quarterback was the most important goal when building the 2026 roster.
The Longhorns are going to be leaning on veteran talent to protect their quarterback, and it may very well be the best decision they made this offseason.
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