MINUTES 
                                           
                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS 
                               Monday, March 14, 2005 
                                     10:00 a.m. 
                                   Senate Chamber 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on State Affairs  
         was held on Monday, March 14, 2005, in the Senate Chamber at  
         Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Robert Duncan                   None 
         Senator Tommy Williams 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator Rodney Ellis 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
         Senator Frank Madla 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair laid out SB 50 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Nelson to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Armbrister 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  
         Armbrister moved that SB 50 do not pass but that CSSB 50 be  
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do  
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 9  
         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.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 53 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Nelson, 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 Lucio, Jr. moved that SB  
         53 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0  
         absent.  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 Lucio, Jr. moved that SB 53 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Lucio, Jr. moved that  
         the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 309 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Lucio, Jr., to explain the bill.  Senator Lucio, Jr. sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Lucio, Jr. to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Lucio, Jr. 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.  CSSB 309 was left pending before the  
         committee. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 179 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.  Senator Lucio, Jr. sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Wentworth to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Lucio, Jr. 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.  CSSB 179 was left pending before the  
         committee. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 310 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Deuell, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Deuell to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 1  
         and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was  
         adopted.  Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 2 and  
         moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.   
         Senator Armbrister moved adoption of the committee substitute as  
         amended; 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.  CSSB 310 as amended was  
         left pending before the committee.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 155 and recognized Senator Janek, in the  
         absence of the author, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister  
         sent up a committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator  
         Janek to explain the difference between the committee substitute  
         and the bill as filed.  Senator Armbrister 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.  CSSB 155 was left  
         pending before the committee. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 486 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Armbrister, 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 Armbrister moved that SB  
         486 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0  
         absent.   
          
         Senator Williams assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out pending business SB 368 and recognized the  
         author, Senator Duncan, to explain the bill.  A committee  
         substitute had been adopted at a previous hearing.  Senator  
         Madla moved to reconsider the vote by which the committee  
         substitute was adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Duncan sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption;  
         without objection, the amendment was adopted.  Senator Duncan  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute as amended; without  
         objection, it was so ordered. CSSB 368 as amended was left  
         pending before the committee.   
          
         Senator Duncan resumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out pending business SB 427.  A proposed  
         committee substitute which had been laid out in a previous  
         hearing was pending before the committee.  Senator Williams  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute; without objection,  
         it was so ordered.  Senator Williams moved that SB 427 do not  
         pass but that CSSB 427 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Armbrister moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, Senator Duncan moved that the  
         Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.   
         Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Robert Duncan, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
  
         Teddy Carter, Clerk