MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
11:00 p.m. or on hour upon adjournment
Capitol Extension, Room E1.036
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was
held on Tuesday, April 15, 2003, in the Capitol Extension, Room
E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Teel Bivins None
Senator Judith Zaffirini
Senator Kip Averitt
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Kim Brimer
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Kyle Janek
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
Senator Todd Staples
Senator Royce West
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Tommy Williams
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The chair called the meeting to order at 3:57 p.m. The
committee was in recess from the previous hearing. The
following business was transacted:
Testimony was given on the following agencies with witnesses on
the attached list:
Group Insurance
Workgroup presentation was given by Senator Duncan
Employees Retirement System
Higher Education
Teachers' Retirement System
Optional Retirement Program
Senator Duncan moved that the full committee adopt the workgroup
recommendations for Group Insurance. There was a roll call
vote. The motion carried with a record vote of 10 ayes, 3 nays,
0 present not voting, and 2 absent.
At 5:41 p.m. Senator Bivins moved that the committee stand
recessed until 6:00 p.m; without objection, it was so ordered.
At 6:10 p.m. the committee reconvened.
Article I - General Government
Senator Brimer discussed pending items and riders.
Senator Brimer moved to adopt Article I pending items as amended
in committee during the hearing. There was no objection, the
recommendations for the pending items were adopted.
Article IX - General Provisions
Senator Duncan moved to adopt riders in the Article IX packet
with the exception of 12.14 and 12.15. Without objection, it
was so ordered.
Senator Zaffirini moved not to adopt rider 12.15. There was a
roll call vote. The motion failed with a record vote of 3 ayes,
8 nays, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent.
There was a motion to adopt rider 12.15. With one objection,
the motion carried.
At 8:13 p.m. Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.
Senator Bivins moved to adopt riders in Article IX. Without
objection, it was so ordered.
Article II - Health and Human Services
Senator Nelson discussed pending items and riders.
At 8:28 p.m. Senator Bivins resumed the chair.
Senator Williams sent up a rider regarding family planning.
There was a roll call vote. The motion carried with a record
vote of 10 ayes, 5 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.
Senator Ogden moved to adopt the remaining riders for Article
II. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Zaffirini moved to adopt a rider for additional revenue
as amended. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article VI - Natural Resources
Senator Averitt discussed pending items and riders.
Senator Averitt moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for
Article VI. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article III - Higher Education
Senator West discussed pending items and riders.
Senator Duncan moved to not consider small class size in Senator
West's rider. There was a roll call vote. The motion carried
with a record vote of 9 ayes, 5 nays, 0 present not voting, and
1 absent.
Senator West moved adoption of all pending recommendations and
riders for Article III, Higher Education. Without objection, it
was so ordered.
At 10:28 p.m. Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.
Article V - Public Safety and Criminal Justice
Senator Whitmire discussed pending items and riders.
At 10:32 p.m. Senator Bivins resumed the chair.
Senator Whitmire moved to adopt riders and pending items for
Article V. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article IV - The Judiciary
Senator Duncan discussed pending items and riders.
Senator Duncan moved adoption of a rider for Article IV.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article VIII - Regulatory
Senator Shapleigh discussed pending items and riders.
The committee moved to adopt the workgroup recommendations with
the exception of consumer education and TDHCA money. There was
a roll call vote. The motion failed with a record vote of 4
ayes, 6 nays, 0 present not voting, and 5 absent. Senator
Barrientos asked to be shown voting nay. This did not change
the outcome of the motion but changed the record vote to 7 nays.
Senator West made a motion to adopt a rider that would continue
funding the weatherization program. There was a roll call vote.
The motion failed with a record vote of 3 ayes, 7 nays, 0
present not voting, and 5 absent.
The committee moved to adopt workgroup recommendations on
Article VIII. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article VII - Business and Economic Development
Senator Ogden discussed pending items and riders.
Senator Ogden moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for
Article VII. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article X - The Legislature
The committee moved to adopt recommendations for Article X.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
Article XII - Tobacco Settlement Receipt
The committee moved to adopt recommendations for Article XII.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
There being no further business, at 11:35 p.m. Senator Bivins
moved that the Committee stand recessed until one hour after
session the following day. Without objection, it was so
ordered.
______________________
Senator Teel Bivins, Chair
______________________
Stephanie Hoover, Clerk