MINUTES 
                                           
                            SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                                Tuesday, May 9, 2006 
                                     10:00 a.m. 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.036 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to suspension of Senate Rule 11.18, a public hearing of  
         the Senate Committee on Finance was held on Tuesday, May 9,  
         2006, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Steve Ogden                     Senator Kyle Janek 
         Senator Judith Zaffirini                Senator Jane Nelson 
         Senator Kip Averitt                     Senator Florence Shapiro 
         Senator Kim Brimer                      Senator Tommy Williams 
         Senator Bob Deuell 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Juan Hinojosa 
         Senator Frank Madla 
         Senator Todd Staples 
         Senator Royce West 
         Senator John Whitmire 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 10:34 a.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         The roll was called. 
          
         Senator Ogden announced a new amendment deadline for SB 6 be set  
         at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 10, 2006.  Without objection, it  
         was so ordered. 
          
         A quorum is now present. 
          
         Senator Ogden moved that any amendments offered to SB 6 be  
         revenue neutral.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 1.   
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 2.   
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 3.   
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 4.   
  
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 5.   
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 6, in the absence of  
         the amendment author.  Senator Ogden moved to withdraw the  
         amendment, as it was a duplicate of Committee Amendment 5.   
         Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 7, in the absence of  
         the amendment author.   
          
         Senator Ogden resumed the chair.    
          
         Senator Zaffirini sent up Committee Amendment 8.   
          
         Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 12. 
          
         Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 13.   
          
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 14.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the amendment are shown on the  
         attached list.   
          
         Senator Zaffirini recognized diplomats from the Eastern European  
         and Central Asian countries of Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus,  
         Georgia, Kazakhastan, Poland, and Turkmenistan.  Those  
         introduced were Ms. Beata Peska-Krawiec, Minister Counselor and  
         Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the  
         Republic of Poland; Mr. Serge Rachkov, Deputy Permanent  
         Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of  
         Belarus; Mr. George Kaladze, Senior Counselor of the Permanent  
         Mission of Georgia; Mr. Barlybay Sadykov, Counselor of the  
         Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Mr. Ilgar  
         Mammadov, Counselor of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of  
         Azerbaijan; Mr. Durdyev Serbar, Counselor of the Permanent  
         Mission of Turkmenistan; and Mr. Lorenc Xhaferraj, First  
         Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Albania.  
          
         Senator Staples assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Zaffirini sent up Committee Amendment 19, in the absence  
         of the amendment author. 
          
         Senator Zaffirini sent up Committee Amendment 20.  Senator  
         Zaffirini moved to withdraw the amendment; without objection, it  
         was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Deuell sent up Committee Amendment 30. 
          
         Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment 31.  Senator Staples  
         sent up amendment to the Amendment 31a.   
  
         Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment 32.   
          
         Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment 44.  
          
         Senator Hinojosa sent up Committee Amendment 33.    
          
         Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment 35.   
          
         Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment 36.  
          
         Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 38.  Senator Brimer  
         moved to withdraw the amendment; without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 39.  Senator Brimer  
         sent up amendment to the Amendment 39a.  Witnesses testifying  
         and registering on the amendment are shown on the attached list. 
          
         Senator Hinojosa sent up Committee Amendment 40.  Senator  
         Shapleigh helped explain the amendment.  Witnesses testifying  
         and registering on the amendment are shown on the attached list. 
          
         Senator Hinojosa sent up Committee Amendment 41.   
          
         Senator Hinojosa sent up Committee Amendment 42. 
          
         Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment 43. 
          
         Senator Staples assumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Zaffirini sent up Committee Amendment 45. 
          
         Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.  
          
         Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 34, in the absence of  
         the amendment author.  Senator Brimer sent up amendment to the  
         Amendment 34a.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the  
         amendment are shown on the attached list.   
          
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 15.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the amendment are shown on the  
         attached list. 
          
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 17. 
          
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 21. 
          
         Senator Deuell sent up Committee Amendment 16, in the absence of  
         the amendment author.  Senator Seliger helped explain the  
         amendment.   
          
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 26 and Committee  
         Amendment 29.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the  
         amendments are shown on the attached list.   
  
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 27.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the amendment are shown on the  
         attached list. 
          
         Senator Madla sent up Committee Amendment 28.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the amendment are shown on the  
         attached list. 
          
         Senator Deuell sent up Committee Amendment 24, in the absence of  
         the amendment author. 
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.  Senator Zaffirini moved that the public  
         testimony remain open on SB 6; without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         Senator Zaffirini moved that the public testimony on all  
         amendments already laid out before the Committee be closed;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 6 and all of the Committee  
         Amendments laid out before the Committee be left pending;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Ogden resumed the chair.   
          
         There being no further business, at 12:15 p.m. Senator Ogden  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Steve Ogden, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
         Amy Jeter, Clerk