MINUTES 
                                           
                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
                        Subcommittee on Consumer Credit Laws 
                            Wednesday, January 19, 2000 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                                   Senate Chamber 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Economic  
         Development, Subcommittee on Consumer Credit Laws, was held on  
         Wednesday, January 19, 2000, in the Senate Chamber at Austin,  
         Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator John Carona, Chairman           Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator David Sibley                     
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         Chairman Carona thanked everyone for attending and advised that  
         the Subcommittee would not take public testimony at this hearing  
         but would hear invited testimony only.  
          
         The witnesses presented testimony on the effect of usury limits  
         on the various consumer lending entities in Texas, including  
         deferred presentment -  payday lending, and sale - leaseback  
         transactions. 
          
         The invited witnesses, listed below in the order of appearance,  
         presented their testimony and  responded to members' questions. 
          
              Leslie Pettijohn, Consumer Credit Commissioner, Austin,  
         Texas 
              Randall James, Banking Commissioner, Texas Department of  
         Banking, Austin, Texas 
              John Heasley, representing Texas Bankers Association,  
         Austin, Texas 
              Karen Neeley, representing the Independent Bankers  
         Association of Texas, Austin, Texas 
              Jeff Huffman, representing the Texas Credit Union league,  
         Dallas, Texas 
              Rob Schneider, representing Consumers Union, Austin, Texas 
              Linda Eads, Deputy Attorney General for Litigation,  
         Attorney General's Office, Austin 
              Sam Kelley, representing Texas Consumer Finance  
  
         Association, Austin, Texas 
              Eric Norrington, representing Community Financial Services  
         Association, Dallas, Texas 
               
         At the conclusion of testimony, the Chairman advised that the  
         Subcommittee may have one additional meeting, and at 10:55 am  
         moved that the Subcommittee stand recessed subject to the call  
         of the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         At 11:15 am, Chairman Carona reopened the meeting to hear  
         testimony from an additional witness, Bill White, Senior Vice  
         President, Cash America International, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas. 
          
         Upon completion of Mr. White's testimony, and there being no  
         further business, at 11:22 a.m. Senator Carona moved that the  
         Subcommittee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.   
         Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ___________________________ 
         Senator John Carona, Chairman 
          
         ___________________________ 
         Barbara Henderson, Clerk