MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Thursday, February 15, 2001
9 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Health &
Human Services was held on Thursday, February 15, 2001, in the
Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Mike Moncrief, Chairman Senator John Carona,
Vice Chairman
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. Senator David Bernsen
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
Senator David Sibley
*****
The chairman called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The chairman laid out the February 8, 2001, minutes and called
for revisions. There being none, Senator Shapleigh moved their
approval. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The chairman laid out SB 15 by Senator Nelson, relating to
excepting certain information relating to family violence
shelter centers and sexual assault programs for disclosure under
the public information law, and recognized the author to explain
the bill.
Senator Nelson sent up a committee substitute for SB 15 and
explained the differences between it and the bill as filed.
Senator Nelson moved the adoption of the committee substitute
for SB 15. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
Witnesses testifying and registering on the committee substitute
for SB 15 are shown on the attached list. There being no other
witnesses registered or responding to the chairman's call for
public testimony relating to the committee substitute for SB 15,
the chairman closed public testimony.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 15 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 by a vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays and 3 absent.
Senator Nelson moved that the committee substitute for SB 15 be
recommended for certification on the local and uncontested
calendar. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The chairman laid out SB 279 by Senator Nelson, relating to
sanctions imposed against certain facilities regulated by the
Texas Department of Health, and recognized the author to explain
the bill.
Witnesses testifying and registering on SB 279 are shown on the
attached list. There being no other witnesses registered or
responding to the chairman's call for public testimony relating
to SB 279, the chairman closed public testimony.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 279 be reported to the Senate with
the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
prevailed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 279 be recommended for
certification on the local and uncontested calendar. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chairman laid out SB 532 by Senator Nelson, relating to
medical assistance for certain persons in need of treatment for
breast or cervical cancer, and recognized the author to explain
the bill.
Witnesses testifying and registering on SB 532 are shown on the
attached list.
At the request of the author, SB 532 was left pending.
The chairman laid out SB 285 by Senator Nelson, relating to
cancer incidence reporting, and recognized the author to explain
the bill.
Witnesses testifying and registering on SB 285 are shown on the
attached list. There being no other witnesses registered or
responding to the chairman's call for public testimony relating
to SB 285, the chairman closed public testimony.
At the request of the author, SB 285 was left pending.
The chairman laid out SB 115 by Senator Madla, relating to
creating a foundation to finance health programs in the rural
areas of the state, and recognized the author to explain the
bill.
Senator Madla sent up a committee substitute for SB 115 and
explained the differences between it and the bill as filed.
Senator Madla moved the adoption of the committee substitute for
SB 115. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
Witnesses testifying and registering on the committee substitute
for SB 115 are shown on the attached list. There being no other
witnesses registered or responding to the chairman's call for
public testimony relating to the committee substitute for SB
115, the chairman closed public testimony.
Senator Madla moved that SB 115 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 by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent.
Senator Madla moved that the committee substitute for SB 115 be
recommended for certification on the local and uncontested
calendar. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The chairman laid out anew SB 52 by Senator Zaffirini, relating
to a requirement that child-care facilities post certain signs,
which had been left pending, and recognized the author.
Senator Nelson sent up committee amendment 1 and Senator
Zaffirini explained it. Senator Nelson moved the adoption of
committee amendment 1. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Nelson moved that committee amendment 1 be rolled into a
committee substitute for SB 52 and that the committee substitute
for SB 52 be adopted. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 52 be reported to the Senate the
recommendation that it do not pass, but that the committee
substitute adopted in lieu thereof do pass and be printed. The
motion prevailed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent.
Senator Nelson moved that the committee substitute for SB 52 be
recommended for certification on the local and uncontested
calendar. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
The chairman laid out SB 168 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
inspection by the Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services of child-care facilities, child-placing agencies, and
family homes, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
Witnesses testifying and registering on SB 168 are shown on the
attached list. There being no other witnesses registered or
responding to the chairman's call for public testimony relating
to SB 168, the chairman closed public testimony.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 168 be reported to the Senate with
the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
prevailed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 168 be recommended for
certification on the local and uncontested calendar. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chairman laid out SB 159 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
establishing a competitive grant program for projects that are
designed to improve the quality of life for residents of a
convalescent or nursing home and that could serve as a model of
best practices for the convalescent and nursing home industry,
and recognized the author to explain the bill.
Witnesses testifying and registering on the committee substitute
for SB 159 are shown on the attached list. There being no other
witnesses registered or responding to the chairman's call for
public testimony relating to the committee substitute for SB
159, the chairman closed public testimony.
Senator Shapleigh sent up committee amendment 1 and explained
it. Senator Shapleigh moved the adoption of committee amendment
1. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous
consent.
Senator Shapleigh moved that committee amendment 1 be rolled
into a committee substitute for SB 159 and that the committee
substitute for SB 159 be adopted. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Sibley asked unanimous consent to be shown voting "aye"
on the committee substitute for SB 159. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Harris asked unanimous consent to be shown voting "nay"
on the committee substitute for SB 159. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 159 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 by a vote of 6 ayes, 1 nay and 2
absent.
The chairman laid out SB 35 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
authorizing the Health and Human Services Commission to make
grants to community-based organizations to provide support for
long-term care services, and recognized the author to explain
the bill.
Witnesses testifying and registering on SB 35 are shown on the
attached list. There being no other witnesses registered or
responding to the chairman's call for public testimony relating
to SB 35, the chairman closed public testimony.
At the chairman's request, SB 35 was left pending.
The chairman laid out SB 45 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
the specification of the types of hardships that warrant
excepting a recipient of temporary assistance for needy families
from the imposition of time limits on the receipt of those
benefits, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
Senator Nelson sent up a committee substitute for SB 45 and
Senator Zaffirini explained the differences between it and the
bill as filed.
Senator Nelson moved the adoption of the committee substitute
for SB 45. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
Witnesses testifying and registering on the committee substitute
for SB 45 are shown on the attached list. There being no other
witnesses registered or responding to the chairman's call for
public testimony relating to the committee substitute for SB 45,
the chairman closed public testimony.
Senator Sibley asked unanimous consent to be shown voting "aye"
on the committee substitute for SB 45. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 45 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 by a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays and 4 absent.
Senator Nelson moved that the committee substitute for SB 45 be
recommended for certification on the local and uncontested
calendar. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
By unanimous consent and upon a motion by Senator Nelson, the
chairman recessed the committee at 10:45 a.m., until 30 minutes
after the adjournment of the Texas Senate.
The chairman reconvened the Senate Committee on Health and Human
Services at 12:04 p.m.
The chairman laid out SB 31 by Senator Zaffirini, relating to
providing information about bacterial meningitis to students of
higher education, and recognized the author to explain the bill.
Senator Madla sent up a committee substitute for SB 31 and
Senator Zaffirini explained the differences between it and the
bill as filed.
Senator Madla moved the adoption of the committee substitute for
SB 31. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
Witnesses testifying and registering on the committee substitute
for SB 31 are shown on the attached list. There being no other
witnesses registered or responding to the chairman's call for
public testimony relating to the committee substitute for SB 31,
the chairman closed public testimony.
Senators Gallegos and Sibley asked unanimous consent to be shown
voting "aye" on the committee substitute for SB 31. There being
no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Senator Nelson moved that SB 31 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 by a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays and 4 absent.
Senator Nelson moved that the committee substitute for SB 31 be
recommended for certification on the local and uncontested
calendar. There being no objection, the motion prevailed by
unanimous consent.
There being no other business to come before the committee and
upon a motion by Senator Madla, the chairman recessed the
committee by unanimous consent at 12:40 p.m., subject to the
call of the chairman.
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Senator Mike Moncrief, chairman
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Scott Caffey, committee clerk