MINUTES 
                                           
                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE 
                              Thursday, March 6, 2003 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                      Betty King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Business &  
         Commerce was held on Thursday, March 6, 2003, in the Betty King  
         Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Troy Fraser, Chairman           None 
         Senator Kip Averitt, Vice Chairman 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator Kim Brimer 
         Senator Craig Estes 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte 
         Senator Tommy Williams 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Chairman Fraser called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The Chairman advised that the committee would continue  
         discussions from the previous meeting on SB 126, the proposed  
         committee substitute for SB 127, and SB 128.  
          
         Senator Williams assumed the chair, laid out SB 126, SB 127 and  
         SB 128, pending in committee, and called for testimony to begin.   
         Jim Shawn, representing Texas Surplus Lines Association,  
         presented his testimony.  The Chairman called Marilyn Hamilton,  
         Philip Presley and Matt Ray, representing the Texas Department  
         of Insurance, to respond to members' questions.  
          
         At 9:55 a.m. the Chairman moved that the committee stand  
         recessed until 15 minutes after adjournment of the Senate;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 12:00 p.m. the committee reconvened.  Senator Armbrister  
         assumed the chair and recalled Marilyn Hamilton, Philip Presley  
         and Matt Ray, Texas Department of Insurance resource witnesses,  
         to respond to additional questions.   
          
         The Chairman called for public testimony to begin.  Witnesses  
         registering and testifying on the bills are shown on the  
         attached list.  The chair moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Fraser resumed the chair and laid out SB 400, which was  
         pending in committee.  He welcomed Senator Ratliff, who advised  
         the committee that the credit scoring report prepared by the  
         Bureau of Business Research, McCombs School of Business, The  
         University of Texas at Austin, had been delivered to him.  The  
         report had been requested by Senator Ratliff during his term of  
         office as Lieutenant Governor of Texas. The report will be  
         provided to all members of the committee. 
          
         The Chairman moved that SB 126, SB 127, SB 128 and SB 400 be  
         left pending.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, at 2:52 p.m. the Chairman moved  
         that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the  
         chairman.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         __________________________ 
         Senator Troy Fraser, Chairman 
          
         __________________________ 
         Barbara Henderson, Clerk