MINUTES 
          
                        SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS 
                           Thursday, February 25, 1999 
                                    12:30 pm 
                                 Senate Chamber 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         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 25, 1999 in the Senate  
         Chamber at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Florence Shapiro                Senator J.E. Brown 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
         Senator David Bernsen 
         Senator David Cain 
         Senator Tom Haywood 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
         Senator Drew Nixon 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:50 am. There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The Chair introduced the new staff members in the Committee  
         and then referred the following bill to the Standing  
         Subcommittee on Infrastructure. 
         SB 618 by Harris 
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:  
         Senator Shapleigh, Senator Cain, Senator Lucio, Senator Nixon  
         and Senator Wentworth. 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 440 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Moncrief, to explain the bill.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 440 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 440 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays, 0  
         present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Nixon moved that  
         the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 11:55 am Senator Nixon assumed the chair.   
  
         The Chair laid out SB 35 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapiro, 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.  Senator Shapiro moved adoption of the  
         committee substitute, without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Shapiro sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved  
         adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.   
         Senator Shapiro requested unanimous consent to incorporate  
         amendments into the committee substitute; without objection,  
         it was so ordered. Senator Shapiro then moved that the new  
         committee substitute be adopted, without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 35 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Shapiro moved that SB 35 do not pass but that  
         CSSB 35 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         At 12:30 pm Senator Shapiro resumed the chair.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 309 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nixon, to explain the bill.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 309 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, The Chair moved that SB 309 be left pending at the  
         author's request; without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 493 and recognized Senator Nixon, in the  
         absence of the author, to explain the bill.   
          
         Senator Nixon sent up a committee substitute; the Chair  
         recognized Senator Nixon to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Nixon  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute, without objection,  
         it was so ordered. 
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 493 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 493 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 493 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
  
         carried with a vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting,  
         and 1 absent.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 138 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Sibley, to explain the bill.   
          
         Senator Shapleigh sent up a committee substitute; the Chair  
         recognized Senator Sibley to explain the difference between  
         the committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator  
         Shapleigh moved adoption of the committee substitute, without  
         objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         At 1:35 pm Senator Shapleigh assumed the chair.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         At 1:50 pm Senator Shapiro resumed the chair.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 138 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Wentworth moved that SB 138 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 138 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  A record vote  
         was taken and the motion failed, not receiving a majority vote  
         of the committiee. The bill was left pending with no  
         objection.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 478 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Carona, to explain the bill.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 478 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 478 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0  
         present not voting, and 3 absent.  Senator Shapleigh moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 479 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Carona, to explain the bill.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 479 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 479 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0  
         present not voting, and 3 absent.  Senator Shapleigh moved  
  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chair recalled pending bill SB 355.  Senator Wentworth  
         moved that SB 355 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  There being no  
         quorum present, Senator Wentworth withdrew his motion. 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 234 and recognized Senator Cain, in the  
         absence of the author, to explain the bill.   
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair moved that SB 234 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection it was so ordered.  Upon arrival of a  
         quorum, Senator Lucio moved that SB 234 be reported back to  
         the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0  
         present not voting, and 4 absent.  Senator Shapleigh moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 117 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Lucio, Jr., to explain the bill.   
          
         Senator Lucio, Jr. sent up Committee Amendment 1.  The Chair  
         advised that all members did not yet have a copy of the  
         amendment and asked that a motion to adopt be held until all  
         the members of the committee received a copy of the amendment. 
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         The Chair asked that we suspend public testimony on SB 117 so  
         that the committee could lay out one final bill and take  
         action on several others while a quorum was present. 
          
         The Chair laid out SCR 16 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Duncan, to explain the bill.   
          
         Senator Lucio, Jr. sent up a committee substitute; the Chair  
         recognized Senator Duncan to explain the difference between  
         the committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator  
         Lucio, Jr. moved adoption of the committee substitute, without  
         objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         Senator Lucio, Jr. moved that SCR 16 do not pass but that  
         CSSCR 16 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting,  
         and 4 absent.  Senator Shapleigh moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Upon arrival of a quorum, Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 138  
         do not pass but that CSSB 138 be reported back to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 3 present not  
         voting, and 1 absent. 
          
         The Chair called to resume testimony on SB 117. 
          
         At 4:40 pm Senator Wentworth assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Lucio moved adoption of Committee Amendment 1, without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  The Chair moved that SB 117 be  
         left pending, without objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         There being no further business, at 5:30 pm Senator Lucio, Jr.  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________                        
                                                      __________________ 
                                                      ____ 
         Senator Florence Shapiro, Chair                   Cindy R  
                                                           Nottingham,  
                                                           Clerk