MINUTES
         
                        SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS
                           Thursday, February 20, 1997
                                     1:30 pm
                           Capitol Building, Room 2E.20
         
                                      *****
         
         
         
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on State Affairs 
         was held on Thursday, February 20, 1997 in the Capitol Building, 
         Room 2E.20, at Austin, Texas.  
         
                                      *****
         
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT:
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister              Senator Drew Nixon
         Senator David Cain
         Senator John Carona
         Senator Rodney Ellis
         Senator Troy Fraser
         Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
         Senator Michael Galloway
         Senator Jon Lindsay
         Senator Gregory Luna
         Senator Jane Nelson
         Senator Florence Shapiro
         Senator John Whitmire
         
                                      *****
         
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 1:35 pm.  There being 
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted.  
         
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:    None
         
         The Chair laid out SB 337 and recognized the author, Senator 
         West, to explain the bill.  
         
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on 
         the attached list.  
         
         Senator Armbrister moved that SB 337 be left pending; without 
         objection, it was so ordered.
         
         The Chair laid out SB 541 and recognized the author, Senator 
         West, to explain the bill.  
         
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on 
         the attached list.  
         
         Senator Carona sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; 
         without objection, the amendment was adopted.
         
         Senator Carona moved that SB 541, as amended, be reported 
         favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do 
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 
         0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent.  
         
         Senators Galloway, Whitmire and Cain requested unanimous consent 
         to be shown voting aye on SB  541.  There being no objection, 
         the motion prevailed.
         
         The Chair laid out SB 291 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Patterson, to explain the bill.  
         
         Senator Shapiro sent up a committee substitute; the Chair 
         recognized Senator Shapiro to explain the difference between the 
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  
 
         





         
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on 
         the attached list.  
         
         At 2:45 pm Senator Nelson assumed the chair.  
         
         Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 1 to CSSB 291 and 
         moved adoption,  without objection, the amendment was adopted.
         
         At 3:00 pm Senator Armbrister resumed the chair.  
         
          Senator Shapiro requested unanimous consent to incorporate 
         amendments into the committee substitute.  Senator Shapiro then 
         moved that the new committee substitute be adopted, without 
         objection, the substitute was adopted.    Senator Shapiro moved 
         that SB 291 do not pass but that CSSB 291 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 6 absent.  
         
         Senators Galloway, Whitmire, Ellis and Cain requested unanimous 
         consent to be shown voting aye on SB 291.  There being no 
         objection, the motion prevailed.
         
           At 3:10 pm Senator Nelson assumed the chair.  
         
         The Chair laid out SB 495 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.  
         
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on 
         the attached list.    
         
         Senator Armbrister moved that SB 495 be reported favorably to 
         the full 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 6 absent.  
         
         Senator Gallegos, Jr. requested unanimous consent to certify the 
         bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was 
         so ordered.  
         
         Senators Galloway, Whitmire, Ellis, Cain and Fraser requested 
         unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 495.  There being 
         no objection, the motion prevailed.
         
         The Chair laid out SB 557 and recognized the author, Senator 
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.  
         
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on 
         the attached list.  
         
         Senator Armbrister moved that SB 557 be reported favorably to 
         the full 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 6 absent.  
         
         Senator Armbrister requested unanimous consent to certify the 
         bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was 
         so ordered.  
         
         Senators Galloway, Whitmire, Ellis, Cain and Fraser requested 
         unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 557.   There 
         being no objection, the motion prevailed.
         
         At 3:10 pm Senator Armbrister resumed the chair.  
         
         There was no action taken on SB 255, SB 446 and SB 343.
         
         There being no further business, at 3:15 pm Senator Armbrister 
         moved that the Committee be adjourned. Without objection, it was 
         so ordered.  
         
         
 
         





         
         
         ______________________                                                            ______________________
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister, Chair                                                   Kelly Gilbert, Clerk