MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Thursday, March 13, 1997
9:00 am
Lt. Governor's Committee Room
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Economic
Development was held on Thursday, March 13, 1997 in the Lt.
Governor's Committee Room, Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator David Sibley, Chairman None
Senator David Cain, Vice Chairman
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jerry Patterson
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:15 am. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The Chair advised that the Committee would vote on pending
bills and laid out SB 547 by Senator Carona. There being no
additional discussion, Senator Shapiro moved that SB 547 be
reported favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.
Senator Cain requested unanimous consent to certify the bill
for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 459 and recognized the author, Senator
Ellis. Senator Ellis sent up a committee substitute and
explained the difference between the committee substitute and
the bill as filed. Senator Ellis moved that SB 459 do not
pass but that CSSB 459 be reported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting,
and 2 absent.
Senator Ellis requested unanimous consent to certify the bill
for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 417 and recognized the author, Senator
Ellis, to explain the bill.
Senator Shapiro sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.
Senator Ellis moved that SB 417, as amended, be reported back
to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 2 absent.
Senator Ellis requested unanimous consent to certify the bill
for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 251 and recognized the author, Senator
Carona, to explain the bill.
Senator Ellis sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted. Chair
read the names of witnesses registering on the bill but not
wishing to testify. The witnesses are shown on the attached
witness list.
Senator Ellis sent up Committee Amendment 2 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.
Senator Shapleigh sent up Committee Amendment 3. The Chair
directed the committee to make a correction in the amendment.
Senator Shapleigh then moved adoption of the amendment as
corrected; without objection, the amendment was adopted.
The Chairman asked Rob Schneider, representing the Consumers
Union, and previously opposing the bill, if he was still in
opposition and Mr. Schneider stated that he was now in support
of the bill.
Senator Shapleigh requested unanimous consent to incorporate
amendments into a committee substitute; without objection, it
was so ordered. Senator Ellis then moved that the new
committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Ellis moved that SB 251 do not pass but that
CSSB 251 be reported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
carried with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting,
and 1 absent.
The Chair laid out SB 293 and recognized the author, Senator
Carona, to explain the bill.
Ted Barron, City Manager, City of Mesquite, and Councilman
James Folks, City of Mesquite, testified as resources on the
bill. Mayor Cathye Ray, and Bill Clayton, City of Mesquite,
registered in favor of the bill but did not wish to testify.
Senator Madla moved that SB 293 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 2 absent.
The Chair laid out SB 206 and recognized the author, Senator
Madla. Senator Madla sent up a committee substitute and
explained the difference between the committee substitute and
the bill as filed. Waco Rainey, and Michelle Hutto,
representing Concerned Insurance Texas Agents, testified in
favor of the bill. Rhonda Myron, representing Texas
Department of Insurance, testified as a resource on the bill.
Fred Bosse, representing USAA, testified in opposition to the
bill. Robert Simpson, representing State Farm Insurance
Companies, and Kenneth Tooley, representing Texas Association
of life Underwriters, testified in favor of the bill. The
Chair read the names of persons registering in support of the
bill but not wishing to testify.
At 10:40 am Senator Cain assumed the chair and recognized
Senator Sibley. Senator Sibley sent up Committee Amendment 1
and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was
adopted.
Senator Sibley resumed the chair at 10:42 a.m. Senator Madla
requested unanimous consent to incorporate the amendment into
a new committee substitute; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Madla then moved that the new committee
substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Madla moved that SB 206 do not pass but that CSSB 206
be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it
do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a vote of 10
ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.
At 10:45 a.m., the Chair recessed the hearing until after
adjournment of the Senate; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The Committee reconvened at 12:45 p.m. The Chair advised that
the posting rule had been suspended to hear HB 578, a
companion bill to SB 750, which had been left pending in
Committee. The Chair then recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Bivins to explain the difference between HB 578 and SB
750. Bob Huxel, representing Texas Association of Insurance
Agents, testified in favor of the bill. Senator Madla moved
that HB 578 do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent.
The Chair laid out SB 98 by Senator Zaffirini and recognized
Senator Shapleigh, in the absence of the author, to explain
the bill.
Senator Shapleigh sent up a committee substitute and explained
the difference between the committee substitute and the bill
as filed. The Chair called witnesses wishing to testify on
the bill, and following testimony, read the names of persons
registering on the bill but not wishing to testify. All
witnesses are shown on the attached list.
Senator Shapleigh sent up Committee Amendment 1; the Chair
advised that the committee substitute and Committee Amendment
1 would be left pending before the Committee. The Chair
closed the public hearing and moved that SB 98 be left
pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 163 by Senator Zaffirini and recognized
Senator Duncan, in the absence of the author, to explain the
bill. The Chair then called witnesses wishing to testify on
the bill. Following the testimony, the Chair read the name of
persons registering on the bill but not wishing to testify.
All witnesses are shown on the attached list. The Chair then
closed the public hearing and moved that SB 163 be left
pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 217 by Senator Zaffirini and recognized
Senator Shapiro in the absence of the author. Senator Shapiro
sent up a committee substitute and explained the difference
between the committee substitute and the bill as filed. The
Chair advised that witnesses wishing to testify on the bill at
this hearing could do so but the public hearing would not be
closed and witnesses wishing to wait and testify at the
hearing on Tuesday, March 18, could do so. Following the
testimony, the Chair read the names of persons registering on
the bill but not wishing to testify. The Chair recognized
Representative Leticia Van de Putte, author of the companion
bill, HB 262. Senator Sibley then moved that SB 217 be left
pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
There being no further business, at 3:05 pm Senator Sibley
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
__________________________
Senator David Sibley, Chairman
__________________________
Barbara Henderson, Clerk