MINUTES 
                                           
                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON JURISPRUDENCE 
                             Monday, February 12, 2001 
                           1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.012 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence  
         was held on Monday, February 12, 2001, in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Royce West                      Senator J. E. Brown 
         Senator David Bernsen                   Senator Jeff Wentworth 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Rodney Ellis 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m.  
          
         The chair laid out SB495 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Bernsen, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 2:10 p.m. Senator Bernsen assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB479 and recognized the author, Senator  
         West, to explain the bill.  There was no public testimony on the  
         bill. 
          
         At 2:15 p.m. Senator West resumed the chair.       
          
         The chair called roll.  There was a quorum present. 
          
         Senator Ellis moved adoption of the minutes from the previous  
         hearing held on February 5, 2001; without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         At 2:16 p.m. Senator Bernsen assumed the chair.  
          
         Senator West moved that SB479 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 absent.      
  
         At 2:18 p.m. Senator West resumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out pending SB3 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Duncan, to explain the bill.  Senator Duncan sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Duncan to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Duncan moved that the previous committee  
         substitute be pulled down and asked for the adoption of the new  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         There was no public testimony on the bill.  Senator Duncan moved  
         that SB3 do not pass but that CSSB3 be reported back to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out pending SB203 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Duncan, to explain the bill.  Senator Duncan moved that  
         SB203 do not pass but that CSSB203, adopted at the previous  
         hearing, be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2  
         absent.  
          
         At 2:20 p.m. Senator Bernsen assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SCR20 and recognized the author, Senator  
         West, to explain the bill.  Senator West sent up a committee  
         substitute; the chair recognized Senator West to explain the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator West moved adoption of the committee substitute;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  There was no public  
         testimony on the bill.  Senator West moved that SCR20 do not  
         pass but that CSSCR20 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         At 2:22 p.m. Senator West resumed the chair. 
          
         Senator Bernsen moved that SB495 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out pending SB214 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Bernsen, to explain the bill.  There was no public  
         testimony on the bill.  Senator Bernsen moved that SB214 be  
         reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.         
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out pending SB215 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Bernsen, to explain the bill.  There was no public  
         testimony on the bill.  Senator Bernsen moved that SB215 be  
         reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed. 
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out pending SB233 and recognized Senator Bernsen,  
         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 the public testimony be closed;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Bernsen moved  
         that SB233 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB236 and recognized Senator Bernsen, in the  
         absence of the author, to explain the bill.  Senator Bernsen  
         sent up a committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator  
         Bernsen to explain the difference between the committee  
         substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Bernsen 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 the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  
         Senator Bernsen moved that SB236 do not pass but that CSSB236 be  
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do  
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB395 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Duncan, to explain the bill.  There was no public testimony on  
         the bill.  Senator Duncan moved that SB395 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB486 and recognized Senator Duncan, 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 the public testimony be closed;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator West moved that  
         SB486 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair announced that The State of the Judiciary would be  
  
         held on February 13, 2001 at  
         2:00 p.m. in the Old Supreme Court Room.        
          
         There being no further business, at 2:59 p.m. Senator West moved  
         that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the  
         chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Royce West, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Stephanie Hoover, Clerk