MINUTES 
                                           
                    SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION 
                               Monday, April 4, 2005 
                           1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                           Capitol Extension, Room 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, April 4, 2005, in the Capitol  
         Extension, Room 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 3:50 p.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair laid out CSSB 286. The chair moves to reopen testimony  
         there being no objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         The chair moved that the roll call be called. A quorum was  
         present.  
          
         The chair recognized Senator Eltife to deliver the subcommittee  
         report on the new committee substitute to SB 286. The chair sent  
         up the committee substitute and recognized Senator Wentworth to  
         explain the difference between the original committee substitute  
         and the new committee substitute. Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed.  
          
         Senator Eltife made a motion that the vote by which the original  
         committee substitute to SB 286 was adopted be reconsidered;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Eltife made a  
         motion that the original committee substitute be withdrawn;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Eltife made a  
         motion that the new committee substitute be adopted; without  
         objection, it was so ordered. Senator Eltife sent up amendment 1  
         to CSSB286, moved adoption, and Senator Eltife requested  
         unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a new committee  
  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Eltife moved SB 286 do not pass, but that the committee  
         substitute to 286 as amended be reported favorably to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 1 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 418 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, 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 Jackson moved that SB 418  
         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 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         Senator Whitmire moved that he be shown voting aye for SB 418  
         and the committee substitute to SB286. Without objection it was  
         so ordered.  
          
         The chair laid out SB 405 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill.  Senator Jackson sent up a  
         committee substitute and moved adoption without objection, it  
         was so ordered.  The chair recognized Senator Jackson 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.  Senator Gallegos, Jr. sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1. Senator Gallegos, Jr. withdrew Committee  
         Amendment 1. Senator Gallegos, Jr. sent up Committee Amendment  
         2. Senator Gallegos, Jr. withdrew Committee Amendment 2. Senator  
         Gallegos, Jr. sent up Committee Amendment 3. Senator Gallegos,  
         Jr. withdrew Committee Amendment 3. Senator Gallegos, Jr. sent  
         up Committee Amendment 4. Senator Gallegos, Jr. withdrew  
         Committee Amendment 4. Senator Nelson sent up Committee  
         Amendment 5. The chair recognized Senator Nelson to explain  
         Committee Amendment 5. Senator Ellis moved that Committee  
         Amendment 5 be left pending to await a quorum; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  The chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Eltife moved that he be shown voting aye for SB418.  
         Without objection it was so ordered.  
          
         Senator Ellis moved that SB 405 be left pending to await a  
         quorum; without objection, it was so ordered.    
          
         The chair laid out SB 420 and explained the bill, in the absence  
         of the author.  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 420 be left pending; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 422 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill.   
          
         At 5:24 p.m. Senator Jackson assumed the chair.   
          
         At 6:55 p.m. Senator Nelson assumed the chair.   
          
         At 7:07 p.m. Senator Ellis resumed the chair.  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 422 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, at 7:24 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