MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Wed., Feb.17, 1999
8:30 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Human
Services was held on Wed., Feb.17, 1999, in the Senate Chamber
at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
Senator John Carona, Vice Chair
Senator David Bernsen
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
Senator Chris Harris
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following member arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
The chair laid out the Feb.10, 1999, minutes and called for
revisions. There being none, Senator Carona moved their
approval. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The chair explained that SB 206 by Senator Mike Moncrief,
relating to funding for the Blindness Education, Screening,
and Treatment Program, was withdrawn by the author due to a
negative fiscal note and would not be considered.
At 8:32 a.m. Senator Carona assumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 397 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
information included in the Texas Information and Referral
Network, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses on SB
397, but did not testify:
Mike Terry, vice president, Field Services, United Way of
Texas, 823 Congress, Suite 1103, Austin, Texas 78701.
Judy Windler, director, Texas Information and Referral
Network, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, 4900
North Lamar, 4th Floor, Austin, Texas 78711.
The following persons registered in support of SB 397, but did
not testify:
Frank Genco, public policy director, Texas Planning
Council for Developmental Disabilities, 4900 North
Lamar, Austin, Texas 78751.
Susan Murphree, program services specialist, Disability
Policy Consortium, 7800 Shoal Creek Blvd., #171-E,
Austin, Texas 78757.
Jonas Schwartz, policy analyst, United Cerebral Palsy of
Texas, 900 Congress Avenue, Suite 220, Austin, Texas
78701.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 397, the chair
closed public testimony.
The chair asked unanimous consent to show Senator Gallegos
voting "aye" on SB 397. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 397 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The
motion prevailed by a vote of 5 "ayes" and 0 "nays."
The chair laid out SB 17 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
certain hearings held with respect to conduct relating to the
distribution or marketing of cigarettes or tobacco products,
and recognized the author to explain the bill.
The following person registered as a resource witness and
provided oral testimony on SB 17:
Robin Herskowitz, senior policy analyst, Comptroller of
Public Accounts, 111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas
78714.
The following person registered as a resource witness on SB
17, but did not testify:
Philip Huang, chief, Bureau of Disease and Injury
Prevention, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th
Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 17, the chair
closed public testimony.
The chair asked unanimous consent to show Senator Gallegos
voting "aye" on SB 17. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 17 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The
motion prevailed by a vote of 5 "ayes" and 0 "nays."
At 8:37 a.m. Senator Zaffirini resumed presiding duties.
The chair distributed and explained the Committee's Rules,
Procedures and Organizational Handbook.
With no other business to come before the committee and upon a
motion by Senator Carona, the chair recessed the committee by
unanimous consent at 8:39 a.m., subject to the call of the
chair.
_____________________________________
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
_____________________________________
Scott Caffey, Committee Clerk