MINUTES 
                                           
                    SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION 
                              Wednesday, April 2, 2003 
                           1:00 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                                   Senate Chamber 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                   
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Government  
         Organization was held on Wednesday, April 2, 2003, in the Senate  
         Chamber at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Rodney Ellis                    None 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator Teel Bivins 
         Senator Kim Brimer 
         Senator Bill Ratliff 
         Senator John Whitmire 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Jeff Wentworth 
         Senator Teel Bivins 
         Senator John Whitmire 
          
         The chair laid out SB 306 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Carona, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Carona to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Wentworth 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 Wentworth  
         moved that SB 306 do not pass but that CSSB 306 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Wentworth  
         moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SCR 27 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 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 Ellis then moved  
         that the committee substitute be adopted; 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 Armbrister moved that SCR 27 do not pass but  
         that CSSCR 27 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Armbrister moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 775 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Averitt, to explain the bill.  Senator Ratliff sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Averitt to  
  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Ratliff 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 Armbrister moved  
         that SB 775 do not pass but that CSSB 775 be reported back to  
         the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Armbrister  
         moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 915 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Fraser, to explain the bill.  Senator Ratliff sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Ratliff to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Ratliff 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 Ellis moved that  
         SB 915 do not pass but that CSSB 915 be reported back to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         Senator Wentworth assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 287 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Ellis, to explain the bill.  Senator Wentworth sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Ellis to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Ellis moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ellis  
         sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without  
         objection, the amendment was adopted.  Senator Ellis sent up  
         Committee Amendment 2 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Both amendments were rolled into the  
         committee substitute and were adopted; without objection, the  
         new committee substitute was adopted. 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 Wentworth moved that SB  
         287 do not pass but that CSSB 287 be reported back to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Ellis moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 277 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Ellis, to explain the bill.  Senator Ratliff sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Senator Ratliff requested unanimous consent to  
         roll the amendment into a committee substitute; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  The chair recognized Senator  
         Ratliff to explain the difference between the committee  
         substitute and the filed bill. Senator Ellis then moved that the  
         committee substitute be adopted; 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 Ellis moved that SB 277 do not pass but that CSSB 277 be  
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do  
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 7  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 272 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill. Senator Armbrister sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and pulled the amendment down.   
          
         Senator Armbrister assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 2 and pulled it  
         down.  
          
         Senator Ellis resumed the chair.   
          
         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 Ellis  
         moved that SB 272 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, 1 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         Senator Armbrister assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out CSSB 286 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, to explain CSSB 286, which consisted of adopting a  
         committee substitute and amendment #1 during the last Government  
         Organization Committee's hearing on March 26, 2003.  Senator  
         Shapleigh explained the difference between the original bill and  
         committee substitute. Senator Ellis sent up Committee Amendment  
         2 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was  
         adopted.   
          
         Senator Ellis resumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 3 and moved  
         adoption; it was not adopted. Senator Armbrister sent up  
         Committee Amendment 4 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Senator Ratliff sent up Committee  
         Amendment 5 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 6  
         and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was  
         adopted. Senator Wentworth requested unanimous consent to roll  
         the amendments into the committee substitute; without objection,  
         it was so ordered.  Senator Wentworth then moved that the new  
         committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Wentworth moved that SB 286 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 286 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 1 absent.    
          
         The chair laid out CSSB 1147 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, to explain CSSB 1147, which consisted of Amendment  
         #1, rolled into the bill during the previous Government  
         Organization Committee's hearing on March 26, 2003.  Senator  
         Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 2 and moved adoption;  
         without objection, the amendment was adopted.  Senator Wentworth  
         requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Wentworth then moved that the new committee substitute  
         be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.  The witnesses  
         that testified and registered on the bill during the March 26th  
         Government Organization Committee's hearing are shown on the  
         attached list.  The chair moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Wentworth  
         moved that SB 1147 do not pass but that CSSB 1147 be reported  
         back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and  
         be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 266 and recognized Senator Wentworth, in  
         the absence of the author, Senator Lucio, to explain the bill.   
         The witnesses that testified and registered on the bill during  
         the March 26th Government Organization Committee's hearing are  
         shown on the attached list. Senator Wentworth moved that SB 266  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record 
         vote of 6 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 648 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.  Senator Wentworth sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Senator Wentworth sent up Committee  
         Amendment 2 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 3  
         and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was  
         adopted.   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 Wentworth requested unanimous consent to roll the  
         amendments into a committee substitute; without objection, it  
         was so ordered. Senator Wentworth then moved that the committee  
         substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Ellis moved that SB 648 do not pass but that CSSB 648 be  
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do  
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  
                                                                            
         The chair laid out SB 95 and recognized Senator Ratliff, in the  
         absence of the author, Senator West, to explain the bill.  The  
         witnesses that testified and registered on the bill during the  
         February 26th Government Organization Committee's hearing are  
         shown on the attached list.  The chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Ratliff sent up a committee substitute; the chair  
         recognized Senator Ratliff to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Ratliff  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute; without objection,  
         it was so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that SB 95 do not pass  
         but that CSSB 95 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1701 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.  Senator Wentworth sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Wentworth to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Due to some concerns with the fiscal note,  
         Senator Ellis asked that SB 1701 be left pending until next  
         week; without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         There was no action taken on the following bill: 
          
         SB 571 
          
         The following senators sent "motions in writing" to be shown  
         voting "aye" on the following bills: 
          
         Senator Wentwoth: 
         SB 775 
         SCR 27 
          
         Senator Whitmire: 
         SB 287 
         SB 306 
         SB 775 
         SB 915 
         SCR 27 
          
         Voting "nay" on the following bill: 
          
         Senator Wentworth: 
         SB 272 
          
         Senator Bivins sent "motion in writing" to be shown voting with  
         Chairman Ellis on the following bills: 
         SB 95 
         SB 266 
         SB 272 
         SB 286 
         SB 287 
         SB 306 
         SB 775 
         SB 1147 
         SB 1701 
         SCR 27 
          
         Senator Bivins sent "motion in writing" to be shown voting with  
         Senator Ratliff on the following bills: 
         SB 277 
         SB 571 
         SB 648 
         SB 915 
          
         There being no further business, at 8:00 p.m., Senator Ellis  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
                               
                                                                            
         ______________________ 
         Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Karen Domino, Clerk