MINUTES 
                                           
                        SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH SERVICES 
                  Joint Interim Committee on Health Care Mandates 
                              Monday, November 8, 1999 
                                     10:00 a.m. 
                              Capitol Extension E2.010 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Health  
         Services was held on Monday, November 8, 1999, in the Capitol  
         Extension E2.010 at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Jane Nelson, Co-Chair           Senator Gonzalo  
                                                 Barrientos 
         Representative Pete Gallego, Co-Chair   Senator Frank Madla 
         Senator Steve Ogden                     Senator John Carona 
         Representative Kip Averitt 
         Representative Craig Eiland 
         Representative Patricia Gray 
         Representative John Smithee 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Senator Nelson, co-chair, called the meeting to order at 10:07  
         a.m.  There being a quorum present, the following business was  
         transacted. 
          
         Senator Nelson, co-chair, made opening remarks and announced  
         that the purpose of the meeting was to consider the organization  
         and proposed schedule for the Joint Interim Committee on Health  
         Care Mandates and to receive briefings regarding the interim  
         charge set forth by House Bill 1919. 
          
         Senator Nelson, co-chair, introduced the Committee staff:  John  
         Oates, committee director; Camille Welborn, policy analyst; and  
         Cheri Huddleston, committee clerk.  Senator Nelson, co-chair,  
         also introduced the staffs of committee members, Lt. Governor  
         Perry, and Governor Bush. 
          
         Representative Gallego, co-chair, made opening remarks about the  
         interim charge and introduced his committee clerk, Arturo Lopez. 
          
         Senator Nelson, co-chair, called invited panelists to brief the  
         committee members on the study of health care benefits that are  
         mandated by law to be provided by health benefit plans. 
          
         The following persons provided oral testimony: 
  
              Dianne Longley, representing the Texas Department of  
         Insurance 
          
              Bill Hammond, representing the Texas Association of  
         Business & Chamber of Commerce 
          
              Rod Bordelon, representing the Office of Public Insurance  
         Counsel 
          
              Cynthia Leiferman, representing consumers 
          
              Mike Pollard, representing the Texas Association of Life &  
         Health Insurers 
          
         Senator Nelson, co-chair, and Representative Gallego, co-chair,  
         discussed the committee schedule, but a date was not set; The  
         Committee staff will coordinate with each office to provide the  
         date, time, and location for the next hearing. 
          
         With no other business to come before the committee, Senator  
         Nelson and Representative Gallego, co-chairs, recessed the  
         committee by unanimous consent at 12:48p.m., subject to the call  
         of the co-chairs. 
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Jane Nelson, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Cheri Huddleston, Clerk