MINUTES 
                                           
                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS 
                              Thursday, April 3, 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, April 3, 2003, in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.028, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Bill Ratliff                    Senator Frank Madla 
         Senator Todd Staples 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Rodney Ellis 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator Jane Nelson 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Chairman Ratliff called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 7 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill. Senator Staples sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Wentworth  
         to explain the difference between the committee substitute and  
         the bill as filed.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the  
         bill are shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved that  
         the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Staples moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   Senator  
         Ratliff moved that SB 7 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  When the committee  
         reconvened at the chairman's desk upon adjournment of the  
         senate, the chairman laid out SB 7.  Senator Staples moved that  
         SB 7 do not pass but that CSSB 7 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, 1 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 1 absent.  
          
         The chairman laid out SB 1088 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Staples, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill 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  
         1088 be left pending to await a quorum; without objection, it  
         was so ordered.  When the committee reconvened at the chairman's  
         desk upon adjournment of the senate, the chairman laid out SB  
         1088. Senator Staples moved that SB 1088 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 8 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Staples moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 984 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.  Witnesses registering on the  
         bill 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 984 be left pending to  
         await a quorum; without objection, it was so ordered.  When the  
         committee reconvened at the chairman's desk upon adjournment of  
         the senate, the chairman laid out SB 984.  Senator Harris moved  
         that SB 984 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 8 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Harris moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 1087 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Staples, to explain the bill.  Witnesses registering on the bill  
         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 1087 be left pending to  
         await a quorum; without objection, it was so ordered.  When the  
         committee reconvened at the chairman's desk upon adjournment of  
         the senate, the chairman laid out SB 1087.  Senator Staples  
         moved that SB 1087 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 8 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Staples moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 993 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Armbrister  
         to explain the difference between the committee substitute and  
         the bill as filed.  Witnesses registering on the bill are shown  
         on the attached list.  The chairman moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Armbrister moved adoption of the committee substitute;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ratliff moved  
         that SB 993 be left pending; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB 703 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill.  Senator Staples sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Witnesses registering on the bill are shown on the  
         attached list.  The chairman moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Staples  
         requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Ratliff moved that SB 703 be left pending to await a  
         quorum; without objection, it was so ordered.  When the  
         committee reconvened at the chairman's desk upon adjournment of  
         the senate, the chairman laid out SB 703.  Senator Harris moved  
         that SB 703 do not pass but that CSSB 703 be reported back to  
         the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 8 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Harris moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Staples assumed the chair and laid out SB 1331.  Senator  
         Staples recognized the author, Senator Ratliff, to explain the  
         bill.  Witnesses testifying on the bill are shown on the  
         attached list.  Senator Staples moved that the public testimony  
         be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Staples moved that SB 1331 be left pending to await a quorum;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  When the committee  
         reconvened at the chairman's desk upon adjournment of the  
         senate, Senator Staples (in the chair) laid out SB 1331. Senator  
         Ratliff moved that SB 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 8 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Ratliff moved that the bill  
         be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.     
          
         At 9:50 a.m. Senator Ratliff moved that the committee stand  
         recessed until after adjournment of the Senate; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Upon adjournment of the senate (Chairman Ratliff, during the  
         senate session, requested and was granted unanimous consent to  
         meet at his desk instead of in E1.028), the committee reconvened  
         at the chairman's desk.  The following bills were disposed of at  
         that time:  SB 7, SB 703, SB 984, SB 1087, SB 1088, and SB 1331.   
         The actions are explained above.  As pending business, the  
         chairman laid out SB 1091.  Senator Harris sent up a committee  
         substitute and moved its adoption; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Harris moved that SB 1091 do not pass but that  
         CSSB 1091 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 8 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1  
         absent.  Senator Harris moved that the bill be recommended for  
         placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   

         There being no further business, Senator Ratliff moved that the  
         Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chairman.   
         Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ________________________ 
         Senator Bill Ratliff, Chairman 
          
         ______________________ 
         Nancy B. Macken, Clerk