MINUTES
         
                    SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
                             Thursday, March 6, 1997
                                     9:00 am
                          Lt. Governor's Committee Room
         
                                      *****
         
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Economic 
         Development was held on Thursday, March 6, 1997 in the Lt. 
         Governor's Committee Room, Austin, Texas.  
         
                                      *****
         
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT:
         Senator David Sibley, Chairman          Senator Robert Duncan
         Senator David Cain, Vice Chairman
         Senator Rodney Ellis
         Senator Chris Harris
         Senator Tom Haywood
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
         Senator Frank Madla
         Senator Jerry Patterson
         Senator Florence Shapiro
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh
         
                                      *****
         
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:15 am.  There being 
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted.  
         
         Senator Cain assumed the Chair, laid out CSSB 385, which had 
         been recommitted to the Committee, and recognized the author, 
         Senator Sibley.  Senator Sibley sent up a new committee 
         substitute and explained the difference between the new 
         committee substitute and the bill as originally substituted.  
         Senator Sibley moved that the new committee substitute be 
         adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Sibley 
         then moved that SB 385 do not pass but that CSSB 385 be 
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do 
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 7 
         ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent.  
         
         At 9:20 am Senator Sibley resumed the chair, laid out SB 79 
         and recognized the author, Senator Ellis.  Senator Ellis sent 
         up a committee substitute and explained the difference between 
         the committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Ellis 
         sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without 
         objection, the amendment was adopted.  Witnesses testifying 
         and registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  
         
         Senator Ellis requested unanimous consent to incorporate the 
         amendment into the proposed committee substitute; without 
 
         





         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ellis then moved that 
         the new committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it 
         was so ordered.  Senator Ellis moved that SB 79 do not pass 
         but that CSSB 79 be reported back to the Senate with the 
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion 
         carried with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, 
         and 1 absent.  
         
         The Chair laid out SB 652 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Carona.  Senator Sibley sent up a committee substitute and 
         Senator Carona explained the difference between the committee 
         substitute and the bill as filed.  
         
         Karen Neeley, representing Independent Bankers Association of 
         Texas, testified in favor of the bill, and Kelly Rodgers, 
         representing Texas Bankers Association, registered in favor of 
         the bill but did not wish to testify.  Senator Cain moved that 
         SB 652 do not pass but that CSSB 652 be reported back to the 
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  
         The motion carried with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present 
         not voting, and 1 absent.  
         
         The Chair laid out SB 547 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Carona, to explain the bill.  Richard Dole, representing the 
         State Bar of Texas, testified in favor of the bill.  Karen 
         Neeley, representing Independent Bankers Association of Texas, 
         and Kelly Rodgers, representing Texas Bankers Association, 
         registered in favor of the bill but did not wish to testify.  
         The Chair closed the public hearing and moved that SB 547 be 
         left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
         
         The Chair laid out SB 251 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Carona, to explain the bill.  The Chair called Leslie 
         Pettijohn, Consumer Credit Commissioner, to testify as a 
         resource on the bill.  Richard Goddard, representing Texas 
         Financial Services Association, testified in favor of the 
         bill, and Rob Schneider, representing Consumers Union, 
         testified in opposition to the bill.  The Chair read the names 
         of witnesses registering in favor of the bill but not wishing 
         to testify.  All witnesses are shown on the attached witness 
         list.  
         
         At 10:50 a.m., the Chair moved that the hearing be recessed 
         until thirty minutes after adjournment of the Senate; without 
         objection, it was so ordered.
         
         At 1:05 p.m. the Committee reconvened and resumed testimony 
         and discussion on SB 251.  The Chair recognized Representative 
         Sinfronia Thompson who spoke to the Committee on the bill.  
         Following the testimony, the Chair moved that the bill be left 
         pending and that the public hearing be left open for further 
         testimony.  Without objection, it was so ordered.
         
         
         The Chair laid out SB 750 and recognized the author, Senator 
 
         





         Bivins, to explain the bill.  Senator Shapiro sent up a 
         committee substitute and Senator Bivins explained the 
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as 
         filed.  Wade Spilman, representing Texas Association of 
         Insurance Agents, testified in support of the bill, and Rhonda 
         Myron, representing the Texas Department of Insurance, 
         testified as a resource on the bill.  Bob Huxel, representing 
         Texas Association of Insurance Agents, registered in support 
         of the bill but did not wish to testify.  Following testimony 
         and discussion, the Chair closed the public hearing and moved 
         that the bill be left pending; without objection, it was so 
         ordered.
         
         The Chair laid out SB 417 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Ellis, to explain the bill.  Leslie Geballe, representing 
         Texas Workforce Commission, testified as a resource on the 
         bill.  Sidney Hacker, representing the Comptroller's Office, 
         registered in favor of the bill but did not wish to testify.  
         Following testimony and discussion of the bill, the Chair 
         closed the public hearing and moved that the bill be left 
         pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
         
         The Chair laid out SB 459 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Ellis.  Senator Ellis sent up a committee substitute and 
         explained the difference between the committee substitute and 
         the bill as filed.  The Chair called Ed Bloom, representing 
         Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, who 
         testified in favor of the bill.  The Chair read the names of 
         those registering for or on the bill but not wishing to 
         testify.  All witnesses are shown on the attached witness 
         list.  Following testimony and discussion, the Chair closed 
         the public hearing and moved that the bill be left pending; 
         without objection, it was so ordered.
         
         There being no further business, at 1:50 pm Senator Sibley 
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of 
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.  
         
         
         
         
         __________________________
         Senator David Sibley, Chairman
         
         
         __________________________
         Barbara Henderson, Clerk