MINUTES 
          
                        SENATE COMMITTEE ON JURISPRUDENCE 
                            Thursday, March 26, 1998 
                                     2:00 pm 
                               San Antonio, Texas 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on  
         Jurisprudence was held on Thursday, March 26, 1998 in the  
         University of Texas at San Antonio, Downtown Campus at San  
         Antonio, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Rodney Ellis                    Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Chris Harris                    Senator Jeff Wentworth 
         Senator David Cain 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Gregory Luna 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:05 pm.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted. 
          
         The Honorable Cyndi Taylor Krier, Bexar County Judge, welcomed  
         the committee and addressed the need for additional courts in  
         Bexar County, judicial selection, civil court filing fees and  
         court records management.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Wentworth and Senator Ogden. 
          
         Senator Harris discussed his concerns regarding Medicaid fraud  
         and moved the committee request a supplemental charge to  
         investigate the matter.  Without objection, the motion was  
         adopted. 
          
         The Honorable Thomas Phillips, Chief Justice, Texas Supreme  
         Court, representing self, on judicial districting. 
         The Honorable William Sessions, representing self, testified  
         on judicial selection. 
         Rolando Rios, representing self, testified on judicial  
         districting. 
         The Honorable John J. Specia, Jr., representing the 225th  
         District Court, testified on  judicial districting. Nina  
         Perales, representing the Mexican American Legal Defense and  
         Educational Fund, testified on judicial districting. 
  
         The Honorable David Peeples, representing the 224th District  
         Court, testified on judicial districting. 
         The Honorable Raul Vasquez, representing the Webb County Court  
         at Law, testified on judicial districting. 
          
         At 4:10 pm Senator Luna assumed the chair. 
          
         Luis Wilmot, representing self, testified on judicial  
         selection. 
          
         At 4:15 pm Senator Ellis resumed the chair.  
          
         Craig McDonald, representing Texans for Public Justice,  
         testified on judicial selection. 
         Steve Russell, representing the Texas Indian Bar Association,  
         testified on judicial selection. 
         The Honorable Linda Uecker, District Clerk, Kerr County,  
         representing the County and District Clerks Association of  
         Texas, testified on civil court filing fees. 
         The Honorable Joy Streater, County Clerk, Comal County,  
         representing Comal County, testified on civil court filing  
         fees. 
         Dan Sciano, representing the Texas Trial Lawyers Association,  
         testified on civil court filing fees. 
          
         Senator Ellis announced the next meeting of the Senate  
         Jurisprudence Committee would  be  April 22 in Arlington. 
          
         There being no further business, at 5:07 pm Senator Ellis  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Rick Svatora, Clerk