Minutes
Tuesday, July 7, 1998
Page
MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INFORMATION
Tuesday, July 7, 1998
1:00 p.m.
Visiting Court Room
Potter County Courthouse
500 South Fillmore
Amarillo, TX 79186
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on
Public Information was held on Tuesday, July 7, 1998, in the
Visiting Court Room, Potter County Courthouse, 500 South
Fillmore, Amarillo, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jeff Wentworth Senator Kenneth
Armbrister
Senator John Carona Senator Eliot
Shapleigh
Senator John Whitmire
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was
transacted.
Senator Carona moved adoption of the minutes from the
last meeting. Without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair recognized Senator Teel Bivins to make
welcoming remarks. The Chair recognized Senator Robert
Duncan, Representative Delwin Jones, and Representative David
Swinford as being in attendance.
The committee heard invited testimony on the structure,
duties, and responsibilities of the Connecticut Freedom of
Information Commission from Mitchell W. Pearlman, Executive
Director.
The committee heard invited testimony on SB 1069 (75th
Legislative Session) and related matters from Garet von
Netzer, Publisher, Amarillo Globe News, representing the Texas
Daily Newspaper Association and the Texas Press Association.
The committee heard invited testimony regarding judicial
records from Denise Davis,
Director, Texas Judicial Council.
The committee heard public testimony on the committee
charges. The following persons testified on these issues:
Kathleen Ballanfant, newspaper publisher, representing
the Texas Community Newspaper Association.
Walt Borges, Texas Citizen Action-Court Watch.
Anita E. Burgess, City Attorney, City of Lubbock.
Mike Coggins, Publisher, Moore County News Press.
Bennett Cunningham, KTVT-TV, Investigative Reporter.
Cindy Groomer, County and District Clerk's Association of
Texas.
Troy Harrison, A and T Consultants.
Jeff Hartsell, City of Lubbock.
James P. Jeffers, City Manager, City of Plainview.
Lew Mellenkamp, Texas Economic Development Council.
Merrill Nunn, representing himself.
Randy Sanders, Executive Editor, Lubbock
Avalanche-Journal, representing the Texas Associated Press
Managing Editors Association.
Hadassah Schloss, Open Records Administrator, General
Services Commission.
Chris Shields, Texas Economic Development Council.
At 4:10 p.m. the committee took a 25-minute break and
reconvened at 4:35 p.m. Public testimony resumed.
Jean Anne Stratton, District Clerk, Lubbock County.
Brad Tooley, The Canyon News and the Texas Press
Association.
Minutes
Tuesday, July 7, 1998
Page
The following persons submitted written testimony but did
not testify:
Patricia F. Donovan, representing herself.
James Hunt, News Director, KGNC Radio.
Rhonda Myron, Associate Commissioner, Government
Relations, Texas Department of Insurance.
There being no further business, at 4:57 p.m. Chairman
Wentworth announced that the committee would stand recessed
subject to the call of the Chair. Without objection, it was
so ordered.
__________________________________________
Senator Jeff Wentworth, Chair
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Todd Baxter, Chief Clerk and General Counsel