MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Wed., Mar. 3, 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., Mar. 3, 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 chair laid out the Feb. 24, 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 anew SB 468 by Senator Harris, relating to
licensing requirements for certain persons providing abortion
services, which had been left pending, and recognized the
author.
Senator Bernsen sent up committee amendment 1 and moved its
adoption. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
Senator Harris moved that SB 468, as amended, be reported to
the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion prevailed by a vote of 5 "ayes" and 0
"nays."
Senator Gallegos moved that SB 468, as amended, be certified
for the local and uncontested calendar. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
At 8:34 a.m. Senator Carona assumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 11 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to the
mental state applicable to certain violations under the state
Medicaid program, 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 persons registered as resource witnesses on the
committee substitute for SB 11, but did not testify:
Don Gilbert, commissioner, Texas Health and Human
Services Commission, 4900 North Lamar, Austin, Texas
78703.
Marina Henderson, deputy commissioner for legislative and
legal affairs, Texas Health and Human Services
Commission, P.O. Box 13247, Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
Aurora F. LeBrun, associate commissioner, Texas Health
and Human Services Commission,
P.O. Box 13247, Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
Brenda Gordon Salisbery, program specialist, Texas
Department of Health, Stratum,
Building D, Austin, Texas 78729.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to the committee
substitute for SB 11, the chair closed public testimony.
Senator Zaffirini moved that SB 11 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."
Senator Zaffirini moved that the committee substitute for SB
11 be certified for the local and uncontested calendar. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
At 8:37 a.m. Senator Zaffirini resumed presiding duties.
The chair laid out SB 343 by Senator Ellis, relating to the
creation of the self-sufficiency fund to develop job training
for certain recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families, and recognized Senator Harris to explain the bill.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses on SB
343, but did not testify:
Frank Curtis, governmental affairs, Texas Association of
Goodwills, 300 North Lamar, Austin, Texas 78703.
Richard M. Hall, Texas Workforce Commission, 101 East
15th Street, Austin, Texas 78711.
Rick Levy, legal director, Texas American Federation of
Labor Congress of Industrial Organizations, P.O. Box
12727, Austin, Texas 78711.
The following person provided oral testimony in support of SB
343:
Patrick Bresette, associate director, Center for Public
Policy Priorities, 900 Lydia Street, Austin, Texas 78702.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to SB 343, the chair
closed public testimony.
Senator Harris moved that SB 343 be reported to the Senate
with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The
motion prevailed by a vote of 5 "ayes" and 0 "nays."
Senator Harris moved that SB 343 be certified for the local
and uncontested calendar. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chair laid out anew SB 499 by Senator Shapleigh, relating
to the eligibility of certain victims of family violence for
unemployment compensation, which had been left pending, and
recognized Senator Bernsen.
Senator Bernsen sent up committee amendments 1, 2 and 3.
The following person registered as a resource witness on the
committee substitute for SB 499 and provided oral testimony:
Oliver Bond, legislative director, Senator Eliot
Shapleigh, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711.
The chair left SB 499 pending at request of the amendment
sponsor.
With no other business to come before the committee and upon a
motion by Senator Carona, the chair recessed the committee by
unanimous consent at 8:43 a.m., subject to the call of the
chair.
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Judith Zaffirini, Chair
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Scott Caffey, Committee Clerk