MINUTES 
                                           
                            SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                            Subcommittee on Trauma Care 
                              Thursday, July 18, 2002 
                                     10:00 a.m. 
                              1Reliant Center, Rm 500 
                           8400 Kirby Dr., Houston, Texas 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was  
         held on Thursday, July 18, 2002, in the 1Reliant Center, Rm 500,  
         8400 Kirby Dr., Houston, Texas 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Chris Harris                    Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
         Senator Mike Jackson                    Senator Judith Zaffirini 
         Senator Jon Lindsay                      
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Senator Chris Harris, the acting chair, called the meeting to  
         order at 10:06 a.m. The chair made opening remarks and welcomed  
         members, staff and invited testimony to the hearing.  Senator  
         Ellis was also present for a portion of the hearing.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The following invited witnesses provided oral testimony: 
          
              Dr. Guy Clifton, Neurosurgeon, representing Save Our ERs,  
              6431 Fannin, Suite 7.148, Houston, Texas. 
          
              John Guest, Healthcare Executive, representing Harris  
              County Hospital District, 2525 Holly Hall, Houston, Texas. 
          
              Juanita Romans, Hospital Administrator, representing  
              Memorial Hermann Hospital, Fannin Street, Houston Texas. 
          
              Karen Sexton, Director, representing                                                                           Dr. Stephen Hougen,  
Surgeon, representing Victoria Regional  
Advisory Council, 2700                                            
Citizens Plaza, Suite 203, Victoria,  
Texas 77901. 
              Jorie Klein, Director, representing Emergency & Trauma  
              Services, Parkland Memorial Hospital. 
          
              Dr. James H. (Red) Duke Jr, Trauma Surgeon, representing  
              himself and the University Texas Medical School. 
          
              Dr. Patricia Starck, Nursing Dean, representing the  
              University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. 
          
              Jason Cooke, Director, Medicaid & CHIP Operations, Health &  
              Human Services Commission, Austin, Texas. 
          
              Dr. David Persse, EMS Physician, representing Harris County  
         EMS. 
          
         The following witnesses provided public testimony: 
          
              Dr. Diana Fite, Physician, representing Texas College of  
              Emergency Physicians & Harris County Medical Society EMS  
              Committee, Houston, Texas. 
          
              Helen R. Walker, County Judge, representing Vitoria  
              County/Citizens Medical Group, Victoria, Texas. 
          
              Richard W. King, Retired Teacher, representing himself,  
         Pasadena, Texas. 
          
              Bill Lewis, Publisher, representing Mother's Against Drunk  
         Driving, Keller, Texas. 
          
              Thelmalee Lemley, representing consumers, Manuel, Texas. 
          
              Elda G. Ramirez, Assistant Professor of Nursing,  
              representing the University of Texas, Houston, Texas. 
          
              Tim Schauer, Governmental Relations, representing Memorial  
              Hermann Hospital and Greater Houston, Houston, Texas. 
          
              Darren Whitehurst, Governmental Relations, representing  
              Texas Hospital Association, Austin, Texas.  
          
         There being no further business, at 2:05 p.m. Senator Harris  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         _______________________________ 
         Senator Chris Harris, Chair 
          
         _______________________________ 
         Amber Martin, Clerk