MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SENATE
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
10 a.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 Wednesday, May 12, 2004, in the Senate
Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator John Carona
Senator Kip Averitt Senator Mario Gallegos
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Chris Harris
Senator Kim Brimer Senator Juan Hinojosa
Senator Bob Deuell Senator Royce West
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Kevin Eltife
Senator Craig Estes
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Kyle Janek
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
Senator Todd Staples
Senator Leticia Van de Putte
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Tommy Williams
Senator Judith Zaffirini
Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
*****
Dean Whitmire called the meeting to order at 10:32 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding equity and local enrichment. Panel one
included the following persons, who provided oral testimony:
Clayton Downing, Executive Director, Texas School
Coalition;
Brad Shields, Texas Smokestack School Coalition;
Wayne Pierce, Executive Director, The Equity Center;
Judge F. Scott McCown, Executive Director, Center for
Public Policy Priorities.
Senator Wentworth assumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire resumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire opened the floor to public testimony.
The following persons registered and provided oral testimony:
Jana Knezek, self, San Antonio, Texas;
David Feckley, Ozarka Bottling Water, Wylie, Texas
(submitted written testimony);
Juan Garza, Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, Eagle
Pass, Texas;
Jennifer Hughes, Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas,
Washington, D.C.;
George Allen, Texas Apartment Association, Austin, Texas
(submitted written testimony);
Mary Nell Mathis, Common Cause, Austin, Texas;
Larry Molinare, Texas Land Title Association, Austin,
Texas;
Mike Zolkoski, Brownsville Independent School District,
Brownsville, Texas;
Joe Ratcliff, Texas Grocery and Convenience Association,
Austin, Texas (submitted written testimony);
Senator Wentworth assumed presiding duties.
Alvin New, Town and Country Food Stores, San Angelo, Texas;
Joanna Baleson, self, Seabrook, Texas;
Judy Bridges, Texas Association for the Gifted and
Talented, Odessa, Texas (submitted written
testimony);
Bill Grusendorf, Texas Association Rural Schools, San Saba,
Texas;
Gloria Meraz, Texas Library Association, Austin, Texas;
Cary Rabb, UAGABAG Inc., Round Rock, Texas;
Glen Whitley, Tarrant County - Conference of Urban
Counties, Hurst, Texas;
Tim Brown, County Commissioner - Bell County, Conference of
Urban Counties, Belton, Texas;
Jim Allison, County Judges and Commissioners Association of
Texas, Austin, Texas;
Randy Sims, Brazos County - County Judges and Commissioners
Association, Bryan, Texas;
Allen Amos, Concho County, Paint Rock, Texas;
Dean Whitmire resumed presiding duties.
Richard Halpin, American Youth Works, Austin, Texas
(submitted written testimony);
Mickey West, County Judge - Palo Pinto County, Palo Pinto,
Texas;
Sandi Borden, Texas elementary Principals and Supervisors
Association, Austin, Texas (submitted written
testimony);
Mike Fossen, Team in Focus, Inc., Cypress, Texas;
Rey Garcia, Texas Association of Community Colleges,
Austin, Texas (submitted written testimony);
Ana Yanez-Correa, Texas LULAC and Texas NAACP, Austin,
Texas (submitted written testimony);
Lorraine O'Donnell, El Paso ISD and TASB, Austin, Texas;
Eric Hartman, Texas Federation of Teachers, Austin, Texas
(submitted written testimony);
Shannon Noble, Texas Counseling Association, Austin, Texas;
Earl Grinols, Texans Against Gambling, Waco, Texas.
The following persons registered, but did not testify:
Joe Jaynes, Collin County Commissioners Court, McKinney,
Texas;
Telca Karen Porras, Association of Charter Educators,
Austin, Texas;
Phil Strickland, Texas Baptist Ch. Life Commission, Dallas,
Texas;
Weston Ware, Texans Against Gambling, Cedar Hill, Texas.
The following persons submitted written testimony, but did not
testify:
Jennifer Rodriguez, County and District Clerks Association
of Texas, Austin, Texas;
Glen Garey, Texas Restaurant Association, Austin, Texas.
There being no other persons registered or responding to Dean
Whitmire's call for public testimony, Dean Whitmire closed
public testimony.
Dean Whitmire recognized President Pro Tempore Jeff Wentworth at
2:23 p.m., who moved that the Committee of the Whole Senate rise
and report progress. Without objection, it was so ordered.
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Dean John Whitmire, Chair
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Patsy Spaw, Secretary of the Senate