MINUTES 
                                           
                    SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION 
                             Wednesday, April 30, 2003 
                           1:00 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                      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 Government  
         Organization was held on Wednesday, April 30, 2003, in the Betty  
         King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Rodney Ellis                    Senator Kenneth  
                                                 Armbrister 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth                  Senator Bill Ratliff 
         Senator Teel Bivins 
         Senator Kim Brimer 
         Senator John Whitmire 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1154 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, to explain the bill. Senator Brimer sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Shapleigh 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 testified or registered on the bill.  The chair moved  
         that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was  
         so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that SB 1154 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 1154 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 2 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 1403 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Lucio, Jr., to explain the bill.  Senator Brimer sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Lucio, Jr. 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 Ellis moved that  
         SB 1403 do not pass but that CSSB 1403 be reported back to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 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 HB 1331 and recognized the Senate sponsor,  
         Senator Lucio, Jr., 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 Wentworth moved that HB  
         1331 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 4 ayes, 0 nay, 1 present not voting, and 2  
         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 1879 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Van de Putte, 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 Ellis moved that SB 1879  
         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, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 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 791 and recognized Senator Van de Putte,  
         in the absence of the author, Senator West, to explain the bill.  
         Senator Wentworth had a question regarding this bill.  Senator  
         Ellis moved that SB 791 be left pending; without objection, it  
         was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1819 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Van de Putte, to explain the bill.  Senator Wentworth sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Van de Putte  
         to explain the difference between the committee substitute and  
         the bill as filed.  Senator Ellis moved that SB 1819 be left  
         pending; without objection, it was so ordered.       
          
         No action was taken on SB 790. 
          
         There being no further business, at 2:40 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