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
         
         ______________________