MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SENATE
Monday, May 10, 2004
1 p.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole
Senate was held on Monday, May 10, 2004, in the Senate Chamber
at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Kim Brimer
Senator Kip Averitt Senator John Carona
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Juan Hinojosa
Senator Bob Deuell Senator Kyle Janek
Senator Robert Duncan Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Kevin Eltife
Senator Craig Estes
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
Senator Todd Staples
Senator Leticia Van de Putte
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Royce West
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Tommy Williams
Senator Judith Zaffirini
Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
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Dean Whitmire called the meeting to order at 1:41 p.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Dean Whitmire laid out HB 1 by Representative Kent Grusendorf,
relating to public education, public school finance, and related
matters, including certain new or modified taxes and fees and
other state and local tax and revenue measures to provide
sufficient funding for public education and to provide tax
relief and protection for taxpayers; providing penalties, and
recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Shapiro, to explain the
bill.
Senator Van de Putte made a parliamentary inquiry regarding
allowing Senate staff to be on the floor during debate. Dean
Whitmire moved that one Senate staff member be allowed to sit on
the floor during discussion of HB 1.
Senator Shapiro sent up a committee substitute for HB 1 and
explained the differences between it and the bill as filed.
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding incentives. Panel one included the
following persons, who provided oral testimony:
Shirley Neeley, Commissioner of Education, Texas Education
Agency
Gayle Fallon, Houston Federation of Teachers
Sandy Kress
Jack Kelly, Texas State Teachers Association
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Lonnie Hollingsworth, Texas Classroom Teachers Association
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding district incentive programs. Panel two
included the following persons, who provided oral tsetimony:
Mike Moses, Superintendent, Dallas Independent School
District
Ken McGraw, Superintendent, Lamesa Independent School
District.
The following person provided written testimony, but did not
testify regarding district incentive programs:
Ruben Olivarez, Superintendent, San Antonio Independent
School District
Senator Estes assumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire resumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding post-secondary readiness. Panel three
included the following persons, who provided oral and written
testimony:
Chris Patterson, Director of Research, Texas Public Policy
Foundation
Carolyn Bacon, Executive Director, O'Donnell Foundation
Carolyn Kostelecky, Assistant Vice President and Regional
Manager, ACT
Senator Staples assumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire resumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire announced that invited testimony on panel four
regarding administrative efficiency would be considered on
Tuesday, May 11, 2004.
Dean Whitmire recognized Senator Nelson at 5:47 p.m., who asked
that the Committee of the Whole Senate, rise and report
progress. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________________________________
Dean John Whitmire, Chair
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Patsy Spaw, Secretary of the Senate