MINUTES SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, TRADE & TECHNOLOGY Wednesday, March 12, 1997 1:00 p.m. Lt. Governor's Committee Room Public Hearing ***** Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on International Relations, Trade & Technology was held on Wednesday, March 12, 1997 in Lt. Governor's Committee Room, at Austin, Texas. ***** MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chairman None Senator John Carona, Vice-Chairman Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Teel Bivins Senator Jon Lindsay Senator Steve Ogden Senator Bill Ratliff Senator Eliot Shapleigh Senator David Sibley ***** Chairman Truan called the public meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted. At 1:35 p.m. Vice-Chairman Carona assumed the Chair. The Chair laid out SB 566 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. Senator Truan sent up and explained Committee Amendment 1. A discussion followed. The Chair moved that SB 566 and its Committee Amendment 1 be left pending to await a quorum; without objection it was so ordered. Upon arrival of a quorum, Senator Shapleigh moved adoption of Committee Amendment 1; there being no objection, it was so ordered. Senator Shapleigh moved SB 566, as amended, be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senators Sibley, Lindsay, and Bivins requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 566; there being no objection, it was so ordered. The motion to report SB 566 favorably, as amended, carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Truan requested unanimous consent to certify the bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. The Chair laid out SB 568 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. A discussion followed. Mr. Homero Cabello, Director of the Office of Colonias Initiatives with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, presented an educational video on contracts for deed for colonias residents. All witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. Senator Truan moved that SB 568 be reported favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senators Sibley, Lindsay, and Bivins requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 568; there being no objection, it was so ordered. The motion to report SB 568 favorably carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Truan requested unanimous consent to certify the bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. The Chair laid out SB 569 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. A discussion followed. Mr. Hal Ray, Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Texas Attorney General, testified as a resource witness. Other witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. Senator Ogden sent up Committee Amendment 1 to SB 569. A discussion followed. Senator Truan moved that SB 569 be left pending until the amendment language could be prepared; without objection, it was so ordered. The Chair laid out SB 570 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. Senator Truan sent up a committee substitute and was recognized by the Chair to explain the difference between the committee substitute and the bill as filed. Without objection, the committee substitute was adopted. A discussion followed. Mr. Hal Ray with the Office of the Texas Attorney General testified as a resource witness. Other witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. Senator Truan moved that SB 570 do not pass but that CSSB 570 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senators Ratliff, Sibley, Armbrister, and Bivins requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on CSSB 570; there being no objection, it was so ordered. The motion to report CSSB 570 favorably carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Truan requested unanimous consent to certify the bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. The Chair laid out SB 569 again, and recognized Senator Ogden to explain Committee Amendment 1; without objection it was adopted. Senator Ogden moved that SB 569, as amended, be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senators Ratliff, Sibley, Armbrister, and Bivins requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 569 as amended; there being no objection, it was so ordered. The motion to report SB 569 favorably, as amended, carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Truan requested unanimous consent to certify SB 569 as amended for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. The Chair laid out SB 843 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. A discussion followed. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. Senator Truan moved that SB 843 be reported favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senators Ratliff and Bivins requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SB 843; there being no objection, it was so ordered. The motion to report SB 843 favorably carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Truan requested unanimous consent to certify the bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. The Chair laid out SCR 35 and recognized the Senate sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. A discussion followed. Witnesses registering on the bill are shown on the attached list. Senator Truan moved that SCR 35 be reported favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senator Ratliff requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on SCR 35; there being no objection, it was so ordered. The motion to report SCR 35 favorably carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Truan requested unanimous consent to certify the bill for Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. At 2:50 p.m. Senator Truan resumed the Chair and recognized Senator Carona for a motion to approve the minutes from the previous hearing; without objection, it was so ordered. There being no further business, at 2:50 p.m. Senator Shapleigh moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered. ______________________ Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chair ______________________