MINUTES 
                                           
                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE 
                              Tuesday, March 18, 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 Tuesday, March 18, 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 9:05 a.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted: 
          
         The Chairman laid out SB 611 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         Chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Lucio moved that SB 611  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record  
         vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         The Chairman laid out SB 533 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Carona.  Senator Fraser sent up a committee substitute; Senator  
         Carona explained the difference between the committee substitute  
         and the bill as filed.    Witnesses testifying and registering  
         on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The Chairman moved  
         that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.  Chairman Fraser moved that SB 533 be left pending;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
         The Chairman laid out SB 935 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill.  There were no witnesses on the  
         bill.  Senator Jackson moved that SB 935 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 9 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Jackson moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chairman read Motions in Writing submitted by Senator Estes  
         and Senator Van de Putte requesting unanimous consent to be  
         shown voting aye on SB 611; and Senator Williams and Senator  
         Lucio voting aye on SB 935.  Without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         At 10:10 a.m. Senator Jackson assumed the chair laid out SB 127,  
         pending in committee, and recognized the author, Senator Fraser.   
         Senator Jackson sent up a proposed committee substitute; Senator  
         Fraser explained the difference between the committee substitute  
         and the bill as filed.  Senator Brimer sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1 to the proposed committee substitute and moved  
         adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.  Senator  
         Armbrister requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment  
         into a committee substitute; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Brimer then moved that the new committee  
         substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Brimer moved that SB 127 do not pass but that CSSB 127  
         be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote  
         of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.    
          
         Senator Fraser resumed the chair and laid out SB 14, pending in  
         committee. Chairman Fraser laid out a proposed committee  
         substitute for consideration by the members, and recognized the  
         author, Senator Jackson.  Jose Montemayor, Commissioner, Texas  
         Department of Insurance, was called to testify and respond to  
         members' questions.  The Chairman laid out the proposed time  
         line for SB 14, requesting all members to file any amendments to  
         the committee substitute in the committee office by 2:00 p.m.,  
         Wednesday, March 19.  Amendment copies would be distributed to  
         members' offices by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday.  At the meeting on  
         Thursday, March 20, the committee would consider amendments to  
         the substitute.  The Chairman then moved that SB 14 be left  
         pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chairman laid out SB 115, pending in committee, and  
         recognized Senator Jackson, in the absence of the author,  
         Senator Van de Putte, to explain the bill.  Senator Jackson  
         moved that SB 115 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         The Chairman read Motions in Writing submitted by Senator Estes  
         requesting unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 127;  
         and by Senator Averitt requesting unanimous consent to be shown  
         voting aye on SB 935 and SB 115.  Without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
  
         Chairman Fraser moved that SB 126 and SB 128 be laid on the  
         table subject to call.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         At 10:58 a.m. the Chairman moved that the committee stand  
         recessed until adjournment of the Senate; without objection, it  
         was so ordered.  The committee would reconvene at the Chairman's  
         desk upon adjournment. 
          
         At 12:58 p.m. the committee reconvened.  The Chairman read a  
         Motion in Writing submitted by Senator Van de Putte requesting  
         unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 935, SB 115 and  
         CSSB 127.  There being no objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         There being no further business, at 1:00 p.m. Chairman Fraser  
         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