MINUTES 
                                           
                    SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION 
                              Wednesday, April 9, 2003 
                                     1:00 p.m. 
                                   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 9, 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 2:50 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:  
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Wentworth 
         Senator Bivins 
         Senator Whitmire    
          
         The chair laid out SB 285 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Nelson 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. No witnesses  
         registered to testify on the bill. The chair moved that the  
         public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Armbrister moved that SB 285 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 285 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.  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 1113 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Nelson to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Armbrister moved adoption of the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  No  
         witnesses registered to testify on the bill. The chair moved  
         that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.  Senator Ellis moved that SB 1113 be left pending;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 281 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Nelson 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.  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 281 do not pass but that CSSB 281 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.  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 1694 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapiro, 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 Brimer moved that SB 1694  
         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.   
         Senator Brimer moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 280 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Nelson to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Armbrister moved adoption of the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 1; then pulled it  
         down. 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 280 do not pass but that CSSB 280 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 1449 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Harris, to explain the bill.  Senator Wentworth sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Harris 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 Brimer  
         moved that SB 1449 do not pass but that CSSB 1449 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.  Senator Brimer moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.       
          
         Senator Wentworth assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 919 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Whitmire, 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 Whitmire  
         moved that SB 919 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.  Senator Whitmire moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1418 and recognized Senator Whitmire, in  
         the absence of the author, Senator Ratliff, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Whitmire sent up a committee substitute; the chair  
         recognized Senator Whitmire to explain the difference between  
         the committee substitute and the bill as filed.   
          
         Senator Ellis resumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Ellis moved adoption of the committee substitute;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. No witnesses registered to  
         testify on the bill. The chair moved that the public testimony  
         be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Whitmire moved that SB 1418 do not pass but that CSSB 1418 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.  Senator  
         Whitmire moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         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.  Senator Ellis moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Wentworth 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.  Senator Wentworth  
         requested unanimous consent to roll the amendments into the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.    
         Senator Wentworth moved that SB 1701 do not pass but that CSSB  
         1701 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 SB 1634 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Staples, to explain the bill.  
         Senator Whitmire sent up a committee substitute; the chair  
         recognized Senator Staples 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.  No witnesses registered to testify on the bill. The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ellis moved that SB 1634  
         be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 283 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill.  Senator Brimer sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Jackson 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 Whitmire assumed the chair.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.  
          
         Senator Armbrister assumed the chair.   
          
          The chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  
          Senator Whitmire sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved  
         adoption.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 1  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Whitmire  
         requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  
         Senator Armbrister moved that SB 283 do not pass but that CSSB  
         283 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.   
         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 1892 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Hinojosa, to explain the bill. No witnesses registered to  
         testify on the bill. The chair moved that the public testimony  
         be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Brimer  
         moved that SB 1892 be reported favorably 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.   
          
         Senator Armbrister assumed the chair.  
           
         The chair laid out SB 1048 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Ellis, 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 Armbrister moved that SB  
         1048 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The following Senators sent "motions in writing" to be shown  
         voting "aye" on the following bills: 
          
         Senator Armbrister: 
         SB 280 
         SB 1449 
         SB 919 
         SB 1418 
         SB 1701 
          
         Senator Bivins: 
         SB 280 
         SB 281 
         SB 285 
         SB 919 
         SB 1418 
         SB 1449 
         SB 1694 
         SB 1701 
         SB 1892 
          
         There being no further business, 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