MINUTES 
                                           
                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE 
                              Tuesday, April 10, 2001 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                           Lt. Governor's Committee Room 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Business &  
         Commerce was held on Tuesday, April 10, 2001, in the Lt.  
         Governor's Committee Room 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                         
         Senator David Sibley, Chairman           
         Senator Troy Fraser, Vice Chairman 
         Senator John Carona 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
         Senator Eddie Lucio 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The acting chairman, Senator Lucio, called the meeting to order  
         at 9:08 a.m.  There being a quorum present, the following  
         business was transacted:   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1493, pending in Committee, and  
         recognized the author, Senator Shapleigh, to explain the bill.   
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.  At 9:30 a.m. Senator Sibley assumed the  
         chair and testimony continued.  Upon completion of the  
         testimony, the chairman then moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered. The chairman moved  
         that SB1493 be left pending; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  
          
         The chairman laid out SB1045 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Moncrief, to explain the bill.  Witnesses registering on the  
         bill are shown on the attached list.   The chairman moved that  
         the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Shapleigh moved that SB1045 be reported  
         favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass  
         and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1235 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Cain, to explain the bill.  Witnesses registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved that the  
  
         public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Lucio moved that SB1235 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Lucio moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1236 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Cain, to explain the bill.  Witnesses registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved that the  
         public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Lucio moved that SB1236 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Lucio moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1667 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Cain, to explain the bill.  Witnesses registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved that the  
         public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Lucio moved that SB1667 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.  Senator Lucio moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 9:57 a.m. Senator Sibley moved that the committee stand  
         recessed until thirty minutes after adjournment of the Senate;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 1:37 p.m. the committee reconvened.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1395 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Fraser, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Fraser moved that SB1395  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record  
         vote of 4 ayes, 1 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1294 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Van de Putte, to explain the bill.  Senator Van de Putte sent up  
         a committee substitute and explained the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Van de  
         Putte moved adoption of the committee substitute; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Van de Putte moved that  
         SB1294 do not pass but that CSSB1294 be reported back to the  
  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Van de Putte moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1185, pending in Committee, and  
         recognized the author, Senator Whitmire.  Senator Jackson sent  
         up a committee substitute; Senator Whitmire explained the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Jackson moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Jackson moved that SB1185 do not pass but that CSSB1185 be  
         reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do  
         pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1116 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.  Senator Armbrister explained a  
         proposed substitute.  Witnesses testifying and registering on  
         the bill are shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved  
         that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.  The chairman moved that SB1116 be left pending;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.     
          
         The chairman laid out SB1198 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Carona, to explain the bill.  Senator Carona sent up a committee  
         substitute and explained the difference between the committee  
         substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Carona moved adoption  
         of the committee substitute; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are  
         shown on the attached list.  The chairman moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Carona moved that SB1198 do not pass but that CSSB1198  
         be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote  
         of 6 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1684 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chairman moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Jackson moved that SB1684  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record  
         vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.   
         Senator Jackson moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         At 2:35 p.m. Senator Fraser assumed the chair, laid out SB1656  
         and recognized the author, Senator Sibley, to explain the bill.   
         Cheryl Fuller, representing Texas Council on Workforce and  
         Economic Competitiveness, registered on the bill but did not  
         testify.  The chairman moved that the public testimony be  
  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Sibley  
         moved that SB1656 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Sibley moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1658 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Sibley, to explain the bill.  Senator Sibley sent up a committee  
         substitute and explained the difference between the committee  
         substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Sibley moved adoption  
         of the committee substitute; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Witnesses registering on the bill are shown on the  
         attached list.  The chairman moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Sibley  
         moved that SB1658 do not pass but that CSSB1658 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Sibley moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 2:45 p.m. Senator Sibley resumed the chair.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB440 and recognized Senator Van de Putte,  
         in the absence of the author, to explain the bill.  Senator Van  
         de Putte sent up a committee substitute and explained the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Van de Putte moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering on the bill are shown on the attached  
         list.  The chairman moved that the public testimony be closed;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Van de Putte  
         moved that SB440 do not pass but that CSSB440 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Van de Putte  
         moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The subcommittee report on SB837 was laid out by Senator  
         Shapleigh.  The chairman then moved adoption of the subcommittee  
         report; there being no objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Shapleigh moved that SB837 be reported favorably to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Shapleigh moved that the bill  
         be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chairman laid out SB1524 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Van de Putte, to explain the bill.  Senator Van de Putte sent up  
         a proposed committee substitute and explained the difference  
         between the committee substitute and the bill as filed.     
  
         Senator Van de Putte sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved  
         adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.   
         Jeannene Fox, representing TABC, registered on the bill but did  
         not testify.  The chairman moved that the public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Van de  
         Putte requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Van de Putte then moved that the new committee  
         substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Van de Putte moved that SB1524 do not pass but that  
         CSSB1524 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 4 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 3  
         absent.  Senator Van de Putte moved that the bill be recommended  
         for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, at 3:02 p.m. Senator Sibley  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chairman.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ___________________________ 
         Senator David Sibley, Chairman 
          
         ___________________________ 
         Barbara Henderson, Clerk