MINUTES

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

8:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.036

 

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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 Finance was held on Tuesday, March 14, 2017, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.

 

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MEMBERS PRESENT:		MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jane Nelson, Chair		None
Senator Juan Hinojosa, Vice Chair
Senator Paul Bettencourt
Senator Brian Birdwell
Senator Kelly Hancock
Senator Joan Huffman
Senator Lois Kolkhorst
Senator Robert Nichols
Senator Charles Schwertner
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Larry Taylor
Senator Carlos Uresti
Senator Kirk Watson
Senator Royce West
Senator John Whitmire

 

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The chair called the meeting to order at 8:02 AM. The following business was transacted:

 

The chair laid out SB 972 and recognized the author, Senator Zaffirini, to explain the bill.

 

Senator Hinojosa sent up a committee substitute.  The chair recognized Senator Zaffirini to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the senate bill as filed.

 

Senator Nelson 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

The chair laid out SB 330 and recognized the author, Senator Rodríguez, 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

The chair laid out SB 448 and recognized the author, Senator Burton, 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

The chair laid out SB 717 and recognized the author, Senator Taylor, Van, to explain the bill.

 

Senator Uresti sent up a committee substitute.  The chair recognized Senator Taylor, Van to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the senate bill as filed.  Senator Nelson 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

Senator Hinojosa assumed the chair.

 

The chair laid out SB 629 and recognized Senator Nelson, 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

The chair laid out SB 669 and recognized the author, Senator Nelson, to explain the bill.

 

Senator West sent up a committee substitute.  The chair recognized Senator Nelson to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the senate bill as filed.  Senator Hinojosa 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

Senator Nelson resumed the chair.

 

The chair laid out SB 945 and recognized the author, Senator Bettencourt, 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

The chair laid out SB 946 and recognized the author, Senator Bettencourt, 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.

 

The bill was temporarily left pending.

 

The chair laid out SB 730 and recognized the author, Senator Bettencourt, to explain the bill.

 

The chair laid out SB 731 and recognized the author, Senator Bettencourt, to explain the bill.

 

The chair laid out SB 870 and recognized the author, Senator Bettencourt, to explain the bill.

 

The chair laid out SB 2 and recognized the author, Senator Bettencourt, to explain the bill.

 

Senator Bettencourt sent up a committee substitute to SB 2.  The chair recognized Senator Bettencourt to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the senate bill as filed.  Senator Nelson moved adoption of the committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Witnesses testifying and registering on SB 730, SB 731, SB 870 and SB 2 are shown on the attached list.

 

At 11:57 AM Senator Nelson moved that the Committee stand recessed until 15 minutes after adjournment of the Senate. Without objection, it was so ordered.

 

At 5:43 PM the Committee reconvened.

 

Testimony continued on SB 730, SB 731, SB 870 and SB 2.

 

Senator Hinojosa moved that SB 330 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 13 ayes, 2 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 448 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Senator Schwertner moved that SB 629 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 14 ayes, 0 nays, 1 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Senator Hinojosa assumed the chair.

 

Senator Nelson moved to reconsider the vote by which the committee substitute to SB 669 was adopted. Without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator Bettencourt sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.

 

Senator Nelson requested unanimous consent to incorporate Amendment 1 into the committee substitute to create a new committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Nelson then moved that the new committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator Nelson moved that SB 669 do not pass but that CSSB 669 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Senator Nelson recommended that SB 669 be placed on the Local & Uncontested Calendar.

 

Senator Nelson resumed the chair.

 

Senator Nichols moved that SB 717 do not pass but that CSSB 717 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 945 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 946 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 13 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.

 

Senator Watson moved that CSSB 972 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.

 

Testimony continued on SB 730, SB 731, SB 870 and SB 2.

Senator Hinojosa assumed the chair.

 

Senator Nichols assumed the chair.

 

Senator Nelson resumed the chair.

 

The chair moved that the public testimony be closed on SB 2; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair moved that the public testimony be closed on SB 730; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair moved that the public testimony be closed on SB 731; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

The chair moved that the public testimony be closed on SB 870; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 730 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 13 ayes, 1 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.

 

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 731 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 14 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 870 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 11 ayes, 3 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.

 

Senator Nelson moved to reconsider the vote by which the committee substitute to SB 2 was adopted. Without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator Huffman sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.

 

Senator Bettencourt requested unanimous consent to incorporate Amendment 1 into the committee substitute to create a new committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Bettencourt then moved that the new committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.

 

Senator Bettencourt moved that SB 2 do not pass but that CSSB 2 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, 5 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.

 

Senator Whitmire submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting aye on the following: SB 330, SB 448, SB 629, SB 669, SB 717, SB 945, SB 946 and SB 972.

 

Senator Kolkhorst submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting aye on the following: SB 330, SB 448, SB 629, SB 669, SB 717, SB 945, SB 946 and SB 972.

 

Senator Huffman submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting aye on the following: SB 330, SB 448, SB 629, SB 669, SB 717, SB 945, SB 946 and SB 972.

 

Senator Hancock submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting aye on the following: SB 945, SB 946 and SB 972.

 

Senator West submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting aye on the following: SB 330, SB 448, SB 669, SB 717  and SB 945.  Senator West asked to be shown present not voting on SB 629.

 

Senator Schwertner submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting nay on SB 330.

 

There being no further business, at 12:01 AM Senator Nelson moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

 

 

 

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Senator Jane Nelson, Chair

 

 

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Stephanie Hoover, Clerk