MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
Monday, April 7, 2003
3:00 p.m. or upon adjournment
Capitol Extension, Room E1.016
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Nominations
was held on Monday, April 7, 2003, in the Capitol Extension,
Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jon Lindsay Senator Chris Harris
Senator Bob Deuell
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator John Carona
Senator Juan Hinojosa
Senator Mike Jackson
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:07p.m.
The Chair introduced Senator Lucio who introduced Nila T. Wipf,
nominee to the Commission on Human Rights.
The Chair introduced Senator Zaffarini who introduced Lydia
Rangel Saenz, nominee to the Office of Rural Community Affairs.
The Chair introduced the nominees for the Texas A&M University
System, Erle Nye and John David White. Each gave their opening
remarks.
The Chair introduced Senator Ellis who also introduced Erle Nye
and John White.
The Chair introduced Senator Duncan who introduced David
Gutierrez, nominee to the Commission on Jail Standards.
The Chair introduced Senator Staples who introduced Marcia
Daughtrey, nominee to the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
The Chair asked the Texas A&M nominees to continue their opening
remarks. There being no questions, the Chair announced that the
consideration of the nominees would be left pending awaiting the
arrival of a quorum.
The Chair read a witness card for John White.
The Chair introduced Thomas Anderson, Tivy Whitlock and Nila
Wipf, nominees for the Commission on Human Rights. Each gave
their opening remarks. There being no questions, the Chair
announced that the consideration of the nominees would be left
pending awaiting the arrival of a quorum.
The Chair introduced Marcia Olivia Daughtrey, Paul Hinton
Dickerson, Sandra Lee Jensen and David Alan Sime, nominees to
the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Each gave opening
remarks. The Chair asked about their budget. Senator Deuell
asked about the Boards direction and the possibility of a rules
and regulation exam. There being no other questions, the Chair
announced that the consideration of the nominees would be left
pending awaiting the arrival of a quorum.
The Chair introduced Senator Van de Putte who introduced Tivy
Whitlock, nominee to the Commission on Human Rights.
The Chair introduced David Gutierrez, Horace Theodore
Montgomery, and Michael Seale, nominees to the Commission on
Jail Standards.
The Chair introduced Senator Shapiro who introduced Earl Nye,
nominee to Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
The nominees to the Commission on Jail Standards gave their
opening remarks.
At 4:50p.m., a quorum was present.
At 4:50p.m., without objection, the motioned carried to adopt
the minutes from the previous meeting.
A motioned carried to pass non appearing nominee Gonzalo
Gallegos, and appearing nominees David Gutierrez, Horace
Theodore Montgomery and Michael Seale, to the Commission on Jail
Standards, to the full Senate. The motioned carried with 6 ayes
and 0 nays. Senator's Hinojosa and Jackson asked to be shown
voting aye.
A motioned carried to pass Marcia Olivia Daughtrey, Paul Hinton
Dickerson, Sandra Lee Jensen, David Alan Sime, nominees to the
Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, to the full Senate. The
motioned carried with 6 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Hinojosa and
Jackson asked to be shown voting aye. The Chair announced that
non appearing nominee Narciso Escareno, had written a letter to
be excused, this request was not granted and he will be invited
to attend another hearing to be confirmed.
The Chair brought back for further questioning, Erle Nye and
John White, nominees to the Texas A&M System Board of Regents.
Senator Barrientos questioned tuition deregulation, the Hopwood
case, its consequences and the efforts of the University to
reach out to students. Senator Deuell commented on flexibility
and tuition. There being no other questions, the nominees were
passed to the full Senate with 6 ayes and 0 nays. Senator's
Hinojosa and Jackson asked to be shown voting aye.
The Chair brought back the nominees to the Commission on Human
Rights, Thomas Anderson, Tivy Whitlock and Nila Wipf. Senator
Barrientos questioned each on the current situation at the
Commission, the ethnic breakdown and lobbying efforts of
staffers. There being no other questions, the nominees were
passed to the full Senate with 6 ayes and 0 nays. Senator's
Hinojosa and Jackson asked to be shown voting aye.
Senator Barrientos introduced James Cox, nominee to the Texas
Lottery Commission. Senator Barrientos questioned whether a
multi-state lottery was a good idea, his thoughts on net ticket
sales, salaries and the hiring procedures for Reagan Greer as
Executive Director of the Commission. The Chair asked about
other gambling in the State and how much it would bring.
The Chair read a witness card for the nominee.
There being no other questions, the nominee was passed to the
full Senate with 5 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Hinojosa asked to
be shown voting aye.
The Chair introduced the nominees to the Office of Rural
Community Affairs, Wallace Klussmann, Lydia Rangel Saenz, and
Michael Cooper Waters. Senator Barrientos questioned moving the
program's agency and Senator Jackson asked the definition of
"Rural." There were more than 60 definitions of "Rural."
There being no questions or objections the nominees were passed
to the full Senate with 5 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Hinojosa
asked to be shown voting aye.
The Chair asked that the nominees with the Texas Commission on
Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Texas Commission for the Blind, and the
Texas School Safety Center Board of Directors, be sent to the
full Senate; they were passed with 5 ayes and 0 nays.
There being no other business, at 6:12p.m., Chairman Lindsay
announced the committee would stand in recess subject to the
call of the Chair. There being no objections, the committee
recessed.
_______________________________
Jon Lindsay, Chairman
_______________________________
Tanya Tillman, Committee Clerk