MINUTES

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

9:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.012

 

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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Higher Education was held on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas.

 

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MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Senator Kel Seliger, Chair

 

None

Senator Royce West, Vice Chair

 

 

Senator Paul Bettencourt

 

 

Senator Konni Burton

 

 

Senator José Menéndez

 

 

Senator Charles Perry

 

 

Senator Kirk Watson

 

 

 

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The chair called the meeting to order at 9:01 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

 

Senator Seliger moved adoption of the minutes from the previous hearings held on April 8, 2015; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 2031 and recognized the author, Senator Watson, 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 Watson moved that SB 2031 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Menéndez submitted  a motion in writing to be shown voting aye on SB 2031.

 

Senator Watson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 24 and recognized the author, Senator Zaffirini, to explain the bill.

 

Witnesses 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 Seliger moved that SB 24 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 37 and recognized the author, Senator Zaffirini, 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 Seliger moved that SB 37 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out as a matter of pending business CSSB 1205.

 

Senator West moved to withdraw the committee substitute adopted at a previous hearing; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator West sent up a new committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Rodríguez to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the senate bill as filed. Senator West moved adoption of the new committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator Seliger moved that CSSB 1205 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 255 and recognized the author, Senator Ellis, 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 Seliger moved that SB 255 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 233 and recognized the author, Senator Schwertner, to explain the bill.

 

Senator West sent up a committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Schwertner to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the senate 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 Seliger moved SB 233 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 295 and recognized the author, Senator Schwertner, to explain the bill.

 

Witnesses 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 Watson moved that SB 295 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 Bettencourt, Senator Menéndez and Senator Perry submitted  motions in writing to be shown voting aye on SB 295.

 

Senator Watson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out as a matter of pending business SB 24.

 

Senator West moved that SB 24 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 Bettencourt, Senator Menéndez and Senator Perry submitted  motions in writing to be shown voting aye on SB 24.

 

Senator Watson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out as a matter of pending business SB 37.

 

Senator West moved that SB 37 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 Bettencourt, Senator Menéndez and Senator Perry submitted  motions in writing to be shown voting aye on SB 37.

 

Senator Watson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair laid out SB 448 and recognized Senator West, in the absence of the author, 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 Seliger moved that SB 448 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

At 10:07 AM Senator West assumed the chair.

 

The chair laid out SB 1188 and recognized the author, Senator Seliger, 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 Seliger moved that SB 1188 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 Bettencourt and Senator Perry submitted  motions in writing to be shown voting aye on SB 1188.

 

Senator Seliger moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

At 10:14 AM Senator Seliger resumed the chair.

 

The chair laid out SB 1776 and recognized the author, Senator Menéndez, 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 Watson moved that SB 1776 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 Bettencourt and Senator Perry submitted  motions in writing to be shown voting aye on SB 1776.

 

Senator Menéndez moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar. Senator West objected, so the motion was withdrawn. 

 

The chair laid out as a matter of pending business CSSB 239.

 

Senator Menéndez moved that SB 239 do not pass but that CSSB 239 be reported back 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. Senator Bettencourt submitted  a motion in writing to be shown voting aye on CSSB 239.

 

The chair laid out as a matter of pending business CSSB 1205.

 

Senator West moved that SB 1205 do not pass but that CSSB 1205 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 2 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Bettencourt submitted  a motion in writing to be shown voting aye on CSSB 1205. Senator Perry submitted a motion in writing to be shown voting nay on CSSB 1205.

 

There being no further business, at 10:26 AM Senator Seliger moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

 

 

 

__________________________________________

Senator Kel Seliger, Chair

 

 

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Sarah Harrington, Clerk