MINUTES 
                                           
                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE 
                             Thursday, January 30, 2003 
                           11:30 a.m. or upon adjournment 
                                   Senate Chamber 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         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 Thursday, January 30, 2003, in the Senate  
         Chamber at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Troy Fraser, Chairman           None 
         Senator Kip Averitt, Vice Chairman 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator Kim Brimer 
         Senator Craig Estes 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte 
         Senator Tommy Williams 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Chairman Fraser called the organizational meeting of the  
         Business and Commerce Committee to order at 11:35 a.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The Chairman welcomed the Committee members, and announced that  
         the Committee's regular meeting schedule will be Tuesdays and  
         Thursdays, starting at 9:00 a.m. in the Betty King Committee  
         Room.  This first meeting, however, is an exception to that  
         schedule.  He advised that the Committee will begin its regular  
         meetings on Tuesdays and will add Thursdays to the schedule as  
         the workload increases. 
          
         Chairman Fraser laid out the Committee Rules which were  
         previously provided to the members for their review.  There  
         being no questions or comments on the rules, Senator Averitt  
         moved adoption.  Without objection it was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Averitt assumed the chair, laid out SB 310 and  
         recognized the author, Senator Fraser, to explain the bill.   
         Witnesses testifying on SB 310 were as follows: 
              Gina Boone, Association of Fire and Casualty Companies of  
              Texas, in favor of the bill,  Jose Montemayor,  
              Commissioner, Texas Department of Insurance, resource  
      
              witness, 
              Philip Presley, Texas Department of Insurance, resource  
         witness, and    
              Rob Schneider, Consumers Union, on the bill.   
          
         Senator Fraser moved that SB 310 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         Senator Fraser resumed the chair, laid out SB 14 and recognized  
         the author, Senator Jackson, to explain the bill.  The Chairman  
         advised that the Committee would hear invited testimony only on  
         SB 14 at this hearing and that there would be ample opportunity  
         for public testimony at another time.  The invited witnesses  
         were as follows: 
          
              Jose Montemayor, Commissioner, Texas Department of  
         Insurance, 
              Philip Presley, Texas Department of Insurance, 
              Rob Schneider, Consumers Union, 
              Beaman Floyd, Texas Coalition for Affordable Insurance  
         Solutions, 
              Bruce Milligan, Legislative Lloyds Group, and 
              Robert Earley, State National Companies. 
          
         Following the invited testimony, the Chairman moved that SB 14  
         be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, at 2:15 p.m. Chairman Fraser  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chairman.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         __________________________ 
         Senator Troy Fraser, Chairman 
          
         __________________________ 
         Barbara Henderson, Clerk