MINUTES 
                                           
                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS 
                              Thursday, March 27, 2003 
                                     8:00 a.m. 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.028 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on State Affairs  
         was held on Thursday, March 27, 2003, in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.028, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Bill Ratliff                    Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Todd Staples 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator Rodney Ellis 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator Frank Madla 
         Senator Jane Nelson 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Chairman Ratliff called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m., and  
         the following business was transacted: 
          
         There was no action taken for the following bill(s):  SB 41.  
           
         The chairman laid out SB 857 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  Senator  
         Staples assumed the chair and testimony continued.  Senator  
         Staples moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Staples moved that SB 857  
         be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Staples laid out SB 563 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Lucio, to explain the bill.  Senator Madla sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Lucio, to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Madla assumed the chair and Senator  
         Lucio continued his explanation of the bill.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached  
         list.  Senator Ratliff assumed the chair and testimony  
         continued.  The chairman moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ratliff  
         moved that SB 563 be left pending; without objection, it was so  
  
         ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 10 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Averitt, to explain the bill.  Senator Madla sent up a committee  
         substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Averitt to explain  
         the difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Armbrister assumed the chair and Senator Averitt  
         continued his explanation of the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on SB 10 are shown on the attached list.  Due to  
         their similarities, Senator Armbrister laid out SB 541 and  
         recognized the author, Senator Williams, to explain his bill.   
         Senator Fraser sent up a committee substitute; Senator  
         Armbrister recognized Senator Williams to explain the difference  
         between the committee substitute and the bill as filed.   
         Testimony continued on both bills.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on SB 541 are shown on the attached list. Senator  
         Armbrister moved that SB 10 and SB 541 be left pending; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  At 9:50 a.m., Senator Armbrister  
         moved that the committee stand recessed until after adjournment  
         of the Senate; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         At 12:45 p.m., Chairman Ratliff reconvened the committee.   
         Testimony continued on both SB 10 and SB 541. The chairman moved  
         that the public testimony on both bills be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ratliff moved that SB 10  
         and SB 541 be left pending; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 116 and recognized Senator Armbrister,  
         in the absence of the author, to explain the bill.  At the  
         conclusion of Senator Armbrister's explanation of SB 116,  the  
         chairman laid out SB 382 and recognized the author, Senator   
         Armbrister to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on SB 382 are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  The chairman then proceeded to  
         take testimony on SB 116. Witnesses testifying and registering  
         on SB 116 are shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved  
         that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was  
         so ordered. Senator Ratliff moved that SB 116 and SB 382 be left  
         pending; without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         There being no further business, at 4:15 p.m., Senator Ratliff  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ________________________ 
         Senator Bill Ratliff, Chairman 
          
         ______________________ 
         Nancy B. Macken, Clerk