MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Wed., Feb. 24, 1999
8:30 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Human
Services was held on Wed., Feb. 24, 1999, in the Senate
Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
Senator John Carona, Vice Chair
Senator David Bernsen
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
Senator Chris Harris
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following member arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
The chair laid out the Feb. 17, 1999, minutes and called for
revisions. There being none, Senator Carona moved their
approval. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The chair laid out SB 499 by Senator Eliot Shapleigh, relating
to the eligibility of certain victims of family violence for
unemployment compensation, and recognized the author to
explain the bill.
Senator Bernsen sent up a committee substitute and explained
the difference between it and the bill as filed.
The following person registered as a resource witness and
provided oral testimony on the committee substitute for SB
499:
John C. Jennings, attorney, Texas Workforce Commission,
101 East 15th Street, Room 662, Austin, Texas 78660.
The following person provided oral and written testimony in
support of the committee substitute for
SB 499:
Barbara Best, education and government affairs
coordinator, Houston Area Women's Center, 1010 Waugh
Drive, Houston, Texas 77019.
The following person provided testimony on the committee
substitute for SB 499:
Laura Wolf, foundation director, Safe Place, Austin,
Texas 78760.
The following person provided oral testimony in support of the
committee substitute for SB 499:
Hannah Riddering, president, Austin National Organization
for Women, 5911 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, Texas 78757.
The following persons registered in support of the committee
substitute for SB 499, but did not testify:
Bree Buchanan, public policy director, Texas Council on
Family Violence, 2906 French Place, Austin, Texas 78722.
Richard Lavine, fiscal analyst, Center for Public Policy
Priorities, 900 Lydia Street, Austin, Texas 78702.
Rick Levy, legal director, Texas AFL-CIO, P.O. Box 12727,
Austin, Texas 78703
Kae McLaughlin, self, 402 East Main, Round Rock, Texas
78664.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to the committee
substitute for SB 499, the chair closed public testimony.
The chair left the committee substitute for SB 499 pending at
the author's request.
At 9:07 a.m. Senator Carona assumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 351 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
the continuation and functions of the Children's Trust Fund of
Texas Council, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
Senator Zaffirini sent up a committee substitute and moved its
adoption. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The following person registered as a resource witness on the
committee substitute for SB 351 and provided oral testimony:
Joey Longley, director, Sunset Advisory Commission, 1400
North Congress, Austin, Texas 78711.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses on the
committee substitute for SB 351, but did not testify:
Barbra Dorr, project manager, Sunset Advisory Commission,
P.O. Box 13066, Austin, Texas 78711.
Janie Fields, executive director, Children's Trust Fund
of Texas Council, 1884 State Highway 71 West, Austin,
Texas 78062.
Don Gilbert, commissioner, Texas Health and Human
Services Commission, 4900 North Lamar, Austin, Texas
78703.
Ken Levine, assistant director, Sunset Advisory
Commission, P.O. Box 13066, Austin, Texas 78711.
Sarah Winkler, director of education, Children's Trust
Fund, 1884 State Highway 71 West, Cedar Creek, Texas
78612-3412.
The following persons registered in support of the committee
substitute for SB 351, but did not testify:
Phil Strickland, chair, Texans Care for Children, P.O.
Box 161705, Austin, Texas 78716.
Loretta Towne, legislative specialist, Texas Parents -
Teachers Association, 408 West 11th Street, Austin, Texas
78701.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to the committee
substitute for SB 351, the chair closed public testimony.
Senator Harris moved that SB 351 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 5 "ayes" and 0
"nays."
At 9:16 a.m. Senator Zaffirini resumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 468 by Senator Harris, relating to
licensing requirements for certain persons providing abortion
services, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
The following person registered as a resource witness on SB
468, but did not testify:
Nora Saldivar, acting director, Health Facility
Licensing, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th
Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
The following person registered in support of SB 468, but did
not testify:
Kirk Overbey, volunteer, Greater Austin Right to Life,
6306 Leatherwood Cove, Austin, Texas 78759.
The following persons provided testimony in opposition to SB
468:
Joseph L. Jacobson, American Civil Liberties Union of
Texas, Austin, Texas 78764.
Kae McLaughlin, executive director, Texas Abortion and
Reproductive Rights Action League, 905 West Oltorf,
Suite D, Austin, Texas 78704.
Peggy Romberg, executive director, Texas Family Planning
Association, P.O. Box 3868, Austin, Texas 78764.
The following persons registered in opposition to SB 468, but
did not testify:
Bettie Naylor, consultant, Texas Abortion and
Reproduction Rights Action League, 1122 Colorado, #307,
Austin, Texas 78701.
Hannah Riddering, president, Austin National Organization
for Women, 5911 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, Texas 78757.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 468, the chair
closed public testimony.
The chair left SB 468 pending at the author's request.
With no other business to come before the committee and upon a
motion by Senator Harris, the chair recessed the committee by
unanimous consent at 9:33 a.m., subject to the call of the
chair.
_____________________________________
Judith Zaffirini, Chair
_____________________________________
Scott Caffey, Committee Clerk