MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS
Thursday, May 15, 2003
8:30 a.m., or upon adjournment
of the Local and Uncontested Calendar
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on State Affairs
was held on Thursday, May 15, 2003, in the Senate Chamber at
Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Bill Ratliff Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Todd Staples
Senator Kenneth Armbrister
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jane Nelson
*****
Chairman Ratliff called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m., and
the following business was transacted:
The chairman laid out HB 146 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Estes, to explain the bill. The chairman opened public
testimony. There being no one present wishing to testify or
register on the bill, public testimony was closed without
objection. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB 146 be left pending;
without objection, it was so ordered.
The chairman laid out HB 408 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Fraser, to explain the bill. The chairman opened public
testimony. There being no one present wishing to testify or
register on the bill, public testimony was closed without
objection. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB 408 be left pending;
without objection, it was so ordered.
The chairman laid out HB 948 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Fraser, to explain the bill. Senator Fraser sent up a
committee substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Fraser to
explain the difference between the committee substitute and the
bill as filed. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill
are shown on the attached list. The chairman moved that the
public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Fraser moved adoption of the committee
substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Chairman
Ratliff moved that HB 948 be left pending; without objection, it
was so ordered.
At 8:50 a.m., Chairman Ratliff passed the gavel to Senator
Armbrister. Senator Armbrister laid out HB 2094 and recognized
the Senate sponsor, Senator Harris, to explain the bill.
Witnesses registering on the bill are shown on the attached
list. Senator Armbrister moved that the public testimony be
closed; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator
Armbrister moved that HB 2094 be left pending; without
objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Armbrister laid out SB 625 and recognized the author,
Senator Shapleigh, to explain the bill. At 8:52 a.m., Senator
Armbrister passed the gavel back to Chairman Ratliff. Witnesses
testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached
list. The chairman moved that the public testimony be closed;
without objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved
that SB 625 be left pending; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The chairman laid out SB 626 and recognized the author, Senator
Shapleigh, to explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The
chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that SB
626 be left pending to await a quorum; without objection, it was
so ordered. During the afternoon session, the chairman
announced that the committee would stand at ease and a vote
would take place on SB 626 at 3:00 p.m. At 3: 15 p.m., a quorum
could not be established and the bill was left pending.
Chairman Ratliff laid out SB 627 and recognized the author,
Senator Shapleigh, to explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The
chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that SB
627 be left pending to await a quorum; without objection, it was
so ordered. During the afternoon session, the chairman
announced that the committee would stand at ease and a vote
would take place on SB 627 at 3:00 p.m. At 3: 15 p.m., a quorum
could not be established and the bill was left pending.
The chairman laid out SB 654 and recognized the author, Senator
Shapleigh, to explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The
chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that SB
654 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
The chairman laid out SB 796 and recognized the author, Senator
Shapleigh, to explain the bill. Senator Shapleigh withdrew SB
796. No action was taken on SB 796.
The chairman laid out SB 1112 and recognized the author, Senator
Shapleigh, to explain the bill. At 9:36 a.m., Chairman Ratliff
passed the gavel to Senator Ellis. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. At 9:50
a.m., Senator Ellis passed the gavel back to Chairman Ratliff .
The chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that SB
1112 be left pending to await a quorum; without objection, it
was so ordered. During the afternoon session, the chairman
announced that the committee would stand at ease and a vote
would take place on SB 1112 at 3:00 p.m. At 3: 15 p.m., a quorum
could not be established and the bill was left pending.
The chairman laid out HB 1865 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Williams, to explain the bill. Senator Ellis sent up a
committee substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Williams
to explain the difference between the committee substitute and
the bill as filed. Witnesses testifying and registering on the
bill are shown on the attached list. The chairman moved that
the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so
ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB 1865 and the Ellis
substitute be left pending; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The chairman laid out HB 725 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Whitmire, to explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The
chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB
725 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
At 10:50 a.m., Chairman Ratliff moved that the committee stand
recessed until after adjournment of the Senate; without
objection, it was so ordered.
At 2:05 p.m., the committee reconvened, and the chairman laid
out HB 1446 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Averitt,
to explain the bill. Senator Staples sent up a committee
substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Averitt to explain
the difference between the committee substitute and the bill as
filed. The chairman opened public testimony. There being no
one present wishing to testify or register on the bill, public
testimony was closed without objection. Senator Staples moved
adoption of the committee substitute; without objection, it was
so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB 1446 be left pending;
without objection, it was so ordered.
The chairman laid out HB 897 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Nelson, to explain the bill. Senator Nelson sent up a
committee substitute; the chairman recognized Senator Nelson to
explain the difference between the committee substitute and the
bill as filed. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill
are shown on the attached list. The chairman moved that the
public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Nelson moved adoption of the committee
substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Chairman
Ratliff moved that HB 897 be left pending; without objection, it
was so ordered.
The chairman laid out HB 500 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Carona, to explain the bill. Witnesses registering on
the bill are shown on the attached list. The chairman moved
that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was
so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB 500 be left pending;
without objection, it was so ordered.
The chairman laid out HB 54 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Shapiro, to explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The
chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB
54 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
Chairman Ratliff laid out HB 1975 and recognized the Senate
sponsor, Senator Ellis, to explain the bill. Witnesses
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. The
chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Ratliff moved that HB
1975 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
The chairman laid out as pending business SB 1576 (substitute
adopted on 5/8/03). Senator Nelson moved that SB 1576 do not
pass but that CSSB 1576 be reported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not
voting, and 3 absent. Senator Nelson moved that the bill be
recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;
without objection, it was so ordered.
As previously stated in the minutes, votes were to be taken on
SB 626, SB 627, and SB 1112 at 3:00 p.m., so at 2:25 p.m., the
committee stood at ease. At 3:15 p.m., the committee
reconvened. A quorum was not established, so there being no
further business, at 3:16 p.m., Chairman Ratliff moved that the
Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
________________________
Senator Bill Ratliff, Chairman
______________________
Nancy B. Macken, Clerk