MINUTES

 

STANDING SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

10:00 a.m.

Capitol Extension, Room E1.036

 

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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.18, a public hearing of the Standing Senate Higher Education Subcommittee was held on Tuesday, August 14, 2007, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.

 

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MEMBERS PRESENT:		MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair Senator Kip Averitt Senator Royce West   OTHER LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS PRESENT: Senator Gallegos Senator Hinojosa Senator Jackson Senator Janek Senator Uresti Senator Watson Senator Whitmire Representative Morrison Representative Giddings		Senator Dan Patrick Senator Tommy Williams

 

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The chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.  A quorum was established at 10:15 a.m., and the following business was transacted: 

 

The chair explained in her opening remarks that the purpose of the hearing was to address group health insurance for community colleges and to strive toward consensus in resolving the impact of the governor’s veto of $154 million in group health insurance for community colleges in Fiscal Year 2009.

 

The chair thanked Senate and House members for attending the hearing and invited them to make opening remarks.

 

John Wielmaker, Rick Travis, and Anita Zinnecker from the Legislative Budget Board testified about proportionality and group health insurance funding.

 

Darrell Edge, Manager, Fund Accounting, testified from the Comptroller's Office.

 

Ken Armbrister, Mike Morrissey, David Young, and Wayne Roberts testified from the Governor's Office.

 

At 12:45 p.m. the committee was recessed.

 

At 1:30 p.m. the committee reconvened.

 

David Gardner, Deputy Commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Dr. Millicent Valek, and Dr. Rey Garcia of the Texas Association of Community Colleges testified about the community college statewide perspective.

 

The following witnesses testified regarding the community college district perspective: Roberto Zarate, Chair, Alamo Community College Board of Trustees; Kitty Boyle, Dallas Community College District Board of Trustees; Dr. Bill Holda, President, Kilgore College; Dr. Wright Lassiter, Chancellor, Dallas Community College District; Dr. Martha Ellis, President, Lee College; Dr. Shirley Reed, President, South Texas College; and Dr. Richard Rhodes, President, El Paso Community College.

 

The following witnesses testified for the business and industry perspective: Bart Gliatta, Site Maintenance Leader, Dow Chemical; Pete Lamothe, Manager, Learning Services, Texas Operations Eastman Chemical Company; Steve Harper, Assistant Manager, Human Resources, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc.; and Gerald Hill, Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Communication, Seton Health Care Network.

 

The chair opened public testimony. Names of witnesses who testified regarding community college funding are on the attached list. The chair closed public testimony.

 

There being no further business, at 5:46 p.m. the committee was recessed, subject to the call of the chair.

 

 

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Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair

 

 

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Lauren Hendrix, Clerk