MINUTES 
                                           
                    SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION 
                               Monday, March 14, 2005 
                                     1:30 p.m. 
                                       E1.012 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Government  
         Organization was held on Monday, March 14, 2005, in E1.012 at  
         Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Rodney Ellis                    None 
         Senator Kevin Eltife 
         Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. 
         Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
         Senator Jane Nelson 
         Senator John Whitmire 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair laid out SB 415 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, to explain the bill.  
          
         The chair moved that the roll be called. A quorum was present. 
          
         Senator Gallegos, Jr. sent up Committee Amendment 1. Senator  
         Shapleigh explained the amendment, and Senator Gallegos, Jr.  
         moved adoption. Without objection, the amendment was adopted.  
         Senator Gallegos, Jr. requested unanimous consent to roll the  
         amendment into a committee substitute; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Gallegos, Jr. moved that SB 415 as amended be favorably  
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do  
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator  
         Jackson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 288 which was left pending during the  
         GOC's hearing on February 28th.  
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator John Whitmire 
          
         Senator Whitmire asked to be shown voting aye for SB 415 as  
         amended. Without objection it was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Ellis offered Committee Amendment 1 and an amendment to  
         the amendment and moved that Committee Amendment 1 as amended be  
         adopted; without objection, the amendment as amended was  
         adopted. Senator Ellis requested unanimous consent to roll the  
         amendment into a committee substitute; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.     
          
         Senator Whitmire moved that SB 288, as amended, 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, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Whitmire moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; Senator Jackson objected, so the motion  
         failed. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 399 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, to explain the bill.  Senator Whitmire sent up a  
         committee substitute and moved adoption; without objection, it  
         was so ordered. The chair recognized Senator Madla 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 chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Eltife moved that CSSB 399 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Eltife moved that the  
         bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 483 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Staples, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Eltife moved that SB 483  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record  
         vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.   
         Senator Eltife moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 164 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Harris moved that SB 164  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record  
         vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.   
         Senator Harris moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 140 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.    
          
         Senator Whitmire moved that he leave his vote with the chair for  
         the rest of the hearing. Without objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.  The chair moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Eltife  
         moved that SB 140 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Eltife moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 402 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Nelson sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Senator Nelson requested unanimous consent to roll  
         the amendment into a committee substitute; without objection, it  
         was so ordered. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Nelson moved that SB 402, as amended, 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, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Nelson moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 403 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Nelson sent up a committee  
         substitute; the chair recognized Senator Nelson to explain the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Nelson moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Nelson  
         moved that SB 403 do not pass but that CSSB 403 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, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Nelson moved  
  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.     
          
         The chair laid out CSSB 407 that was left pending during the  
         GOC's hearing on February 28th. Senator Jackson sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted. Senator Jackson requested unanimous  
         consent to roll the amendment into a committee substitute;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Jackson moved  
         that SB 407 do not pass but that CSSB 407 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, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Jackson moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 5:00 p.m. Senator Eltife assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 464 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Ellis, to explain the bill.  Senator Ellis sent up a committee  
         substitute; the chair recognized Senator Ellis to explain the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Ellis moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached  
         list.  The chair moved that the public testimony be closed;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Ellis moved that  
         SB 464 do not pass but that CSSB 464 be reported back to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Ellis moved that the  
         bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 5:13 p.m. Senator Ellis resumed the chair.   
          
         There being no further business, at 5:14 p.m. Senator Ellis  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
         Vanessa McMahan, Clerk