MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
11:00 a.m. or upon adjournment
Betty King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20
*****
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 Wednesday, April 20, 2005, in the Betty
King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, 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 12:33 p.m. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted:
The chair called up the CSSB 408. Senator Ellis sent up
Committee Amendment 4 and explained Committee Amendment 4.
Senator Ellis withdrew Committee Amendment 4.
The following members arrived after roll was called: Senator
Nelson, Senator Jackson, and Senator Harris.
Senator Eltife sent up Committee Amendment 5. The chair
recognized Senator Eltife to explain the amendment. Senator
Eltife moved adoption. The motion carried with a record vote of
4 ayes, 1 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent. Senator
Eltife requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into
the committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Eltife then moved that the committee substitute be
adopted; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Eltife
moved that SB 408 do not pass but that CSSB 408 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 he be shown voting with the chair
for all bills heard during the hearing; without objection it was
so ordered.
The chair laid out HB 773 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Armbrister, to explain the bill. Senator Eltife sent up
Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the
amendment was adopted. Senator Eltife requested unanimous
consent to roll the amendment into a committee substitute;
without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Eltife then moved
that the committee substitute be adopted; 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 HB 773 do not pass but that
CSHB 773 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.
The chair called up SB 1651. The chair referred the bill to a
subcommittee. The Senator appointed Senator Harris as the chair,
and Senators Eltife and Gallegos as members.
The chair called up SB 422. Senator Jackson moved that the
committee substitute that was sent up at a previous hearing be
adopted; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Jackson
sent up Committee Amendment 1, which was explained at a previous
hearing, and moved adoption; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Jackson sent up Committee Amendment 3 and
moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.
Senator Jackson requested unanimous consent to roll the
amendments into the committee substitute; without objection, it
was so ordered. Senator Jackson then moved that the committee
substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Jackson moved that SB 422 do not pass but that CSSB 422
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.
The chair called up SB 1382. Senator Eltife moved that SB 1382
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
Eltife moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the
Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
Senator Harris moved that he be shown voting with the chair on
all of the bills that were voted on during the hearing; without
objection, it was so ordered.
The chair called up SB 409. Senator Nelson moved that SB 409 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
Nelson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the
Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
There being no further business, at 12:51 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