MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Wednesday, February 19, 1997
8 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Texas Senate Committee on
Health and Human Services was held on Wednesday, February 19,
1997, in the Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair Senator Drew Nixon
Senator Jane Nelson, Vice Chair
Senator John Carona
Senator Mario Gallegos Jr.
Senator Michael Galloway
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Mike Moncrief
Senator Jerry Patterson
Senator Royce West
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 8 a.m. There being a
quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The chair laid out the February 12, 1997, minutes and called
for revisions. There being none, Senator Moncrief moved
approval. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
At 8:05 a.m. Senator Nelson assumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 444 by Zaffirini, relating to
administration of vital statistics records, and recognized the
author to explain the bill.
The following person registered as a resource witness on SB
444, but did not testify:
Richard Bays, state registrar, Texas Department of
Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 444, the chair
closed the public testimony.
Senator Gallegos asked unanimous consent to be shown
voting "aye" on SB 444. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 444 be reported to the
Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes"
and 1 "absent."
The chair laid out SB 290 by Zaffirini, relating to
electronic assistance provided by the Health and Human
Services Commission, and recognized the author to explain
the bill.
Senator Harris sent up a committee substitute and moved
its adoption. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses on
CSSB 290, but did not testify:
Cindy Alexander, Office of the Comptroller of Public
Accounts, 111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas 78701.
Edward Serna, director, Oversight Operations, Texas
Department of Information Resources, 300 West 15th
Street, Suite 1300, Austin, Texas 78737.
Marina Henderson, executive deputy commissioner, Texas
Health and Human Services Commission, P.O. Box 13247,
Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
Charles Stuart, associate commissioner, External
Relations, Texas Health and Human Services Commission,
P.O. Box 13247, Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to CSSB 290, the
chair closed public testimony.
Senators Patterson and Gallegos asked unanimous consent to be
shown voting "aye" on CSSB 290. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 290 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do not pass, but that the
committee substitute adopted in lieu thereof do pass and be
printed. The motion prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes" and 1
"absent."
Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 444 and SB 290 be certified
for the local and uncontested calendar. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
At 8:20 a.m. Senator Zaffirini resumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 316 by Madla, relating to the location
of community homes, and recognized the author to explain the
bill.
The following person registered in support of SB 316, but did
not testify:
Scott Forbes, assistant director, City of Houston Mayor's
Office, 900 Bagby, Houston, Texas 77002.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 316, the chair
closed public testimony.
Senator Gallegos asked unanimous consent to be shown voting
"aye" on SB 316. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Madla moved that SB 316 be reported to the Senate with
the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes" and 1 "absent."
Senator Madla moved that SB 316 be certified for the local and
uncontested calendar. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chair laid out SB 476 by Madla, relating to certain
criminal background checks regarding applicants for and
holders of chemical dependancy counselor licenses, and
recognized the author to explain the bill.
Senator Madla sent up a committee substitute and moved its
adoption. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The following persons provided oral testimony in support of
CSSB 476:
Terry Sheneman, legislative chair, Texas Association of
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, 1033 La Posada Drive, Suite
220, Austin, Texas 78752-3880.
The following persons provided oral testimony on CSSB 476:
Reagan Faulkner, public policy manager, Texas Commission
on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 9001 North IH 35, Suite 105,
Austin, Texas 78757.
Robby Duffield, regulatory manager, Texas Commission on
Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 9001 North IH 35, Suite 105,
Austin, Texas 78757.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to CSSB 476, the
chair closed public testimony.
Senator Madla moved that SB 476 be reported to the Senate with
the recommendation that it do not pass, but that the committee
substitute adopted in lieu thereof do pass and be printed.
The motion prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes" and 1 "absent."
The chair laid out SB 422 by Cain, relating to the licensure
of a hospital with multiple premises under a single license
and the provision of certain services by licensed hospitals,
and recognized the author to explain the bill.
Senator Cain sent up a committee substitute and moved its
adoption. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The following persons provided oral testimony in support of
CSSB 422:
Matthew T. Wall, associate general counsel, Texas
Hospital Association, 6225 U.S. Highway 290 East, Austin,
Texas 78723.
Ed Berger, assistant to the chief executive officer,
Seton Healthcare Network, 1201 West 38th Street, Austin,
Texas 78705.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses on CSSB
422, but did not testify:
John Evans, director, Hospital Licensing, Texas
Department of Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin,
Texas 78756.
Linda Wiegman, attorney, Texas Department of Health, 1100
West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to CSSB 422, the
chair closed public testimony.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 422 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do not pass, but that the
committee substitute adopted in lieu thereof do pass and be
printed. The motion prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes" and 1
"absent."
The chair laid out SB 434 by Harris, relating to the provision
of mental health services, including the review of agency
rulemaking by the Health and Human Services Commission and the
creation of an advisory committee on inpatient mental health
services, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
The following persons provided oral testimony in support of SB
434:
Matthew T. Wall, associate general counsel, Texas
Hospital Association, 6225 U.S. Highway 290 East, Austin,
Texas 78723.
Gail M. Oberta, administrator/chief executive officer,
Texas Hospital Association, 3501 Mills Avenue, Austin,
Texas 78731.
The following persons provided oral and written testimony on
SB 434:
Linda Logan, director, Policy Development, Texas
Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, P.O.
Box 12668, Austin, Texas 78711.
Nance Stearman, director, Texas Department of Health,
1100 West 49th
Street, Austin,
Texas 78756.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 434, the chair
closed public testimony.
Senators Gallegos, Galloway and West asked unanimous consent
to be shown voting "aye"
on SB 434. There being no objection, the motion prevailed.
Senator Harris moved that SB 434 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The
motion prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes" and 1 "absent."
Senator Harris moved that SB 434 be certified for the local
and uncontested calendar. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chair laid out SB 388 by Whitmire, relating to the
provision of Texas Poison Center Network Services to other
jurisdictions and entities, and recognized Senator Gallegos to
explain the bill.
The following person provided oral testimony in support of SB
388:
Douglas J. Borys, chair, Texas Poison Center Network,
2401 South 31st Street,
Temple, Texas 76502.
The following persons registered in support of SB 388, but did
not testify:
Ron Harris, chair, Advisory Commission on State Emergency
Commissioners, 210 South McDonald, McKinney, Texas 75065.
Dwayne Anderson, program director, Clean Water Action,
815 Brazos, Suite 704, Austin, Texas 78701.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses on SB
388, but did not testify:
Dennis Perrotta, chief, Bureau of Epidemiology, 1100 West
49th Street,
Austin, Texas 78759.
James D. Goerise, executive director, Advisory Commission
on State Energy, 233 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas 78701
Andrea Cowan, manager, Texas Performance Review, Office
of the Comptroller, 111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas
78701.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 388, the chair
closed public testimony.
Senator Carona asked unanimous consent to be shown voting
"aye" on SB 388. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed.
Senator Gallegos moved that SB 388 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The
motion prevailed with a vote of 10 "ayes" and 1 "absent."
Senator Gallegos moved that SB 388 be certified for the local
and uncontested calendar. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
With no other business to come before the committee and upon a
motion by Senator Nelson, the chair recessed the committee by
unanimous consent at 9:20 a.m., subject to the call of the
chair.
______________________________
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
_____________________________
Pam Crowley, Committee Clerk