MINUTES 
                                           
                            SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                              Wednesday, April 9, 2003 
                                     8:00 a.m. 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.036 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was  
         held on Wednesday, April 9, 2003, in the Capitol Extension, Room  
         E1.036, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Teel Bivins                     Senator John Whitmire 
         Senator Judith Zaffirini 
         Senator Kip Averitt 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos 
         Senator Kim Brimer 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Kyle Janek 
         Senator Jane Nelson 
         Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Florence Shapiro 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
         Senator Todd Staples 
         Senator Royce West 
         Senator Tommy Williams 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 8:10 a.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
          The chair laid out SB 1005 and recognized the author, Senator  
         West, to explain the bill.  Senator Barrientos sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator West to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  The committee substitute was adopted without  
         objection.  Senator Shapleigh moved that SB 1005 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 1005 be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 12 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 3 absent.  
          
         The chair laid out SB 966 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Averitt, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Janek moved that SB 966  
         be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record  
         vote of 13 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 855 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, to explain the bill.  Senator West sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Zaffirini moved to roll the amendment into the bill;   
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Barrientos moved  
         that SB 855 do not pass but that CSSB 855 be reported back to  
         the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 13 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Barrientos  
         moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.     
          
         The chair laid out SB 325 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.  Witnesses testifying and  
         registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.  The  
         chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Shapleigh moved that SB  
         325 be reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         record vote of 13 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2  
         absent.  Senator Zaffirini moved that the bill be recommended  
         for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.     
          
         At 9:00 a.m. Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 896 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Bivins, to explain the bill. Senator Bivins sent up a committee  
         substitute; the chair recognized Senator Bivins to explain the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Bivins moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Bivins moved to reconsider the vote on the committee substitute;   
         there was no objection.  Senator Bivins sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment  
         was adopted.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill  
         are shown on the attached list.  The chair moved that the public  
         testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Bivins requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment  
         into a committee substitute; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Bivins then moved that the committee  
         substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Bivins moved that SB 896 do not pass but that CSSB 896  
         be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote  
         of 13 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator  
         Bivins moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  The following Members asked unanimous consent to be  
         shown voting aye on CSSB 896:  Senator Averitt and Senator  
         Brimer.   
             
         At 9:22 a.m. Senator Bivins resumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 340 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Staples, to explain the bill.  The bill was left pending from a  
         previous hearing.  Senator Staples sent up Committee Amendment  
         1.  Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown  
         on the attached list.  The chair moved that the public testimony  
         be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Staples moved to reconsider the vote on the committee  
         substitute;  there was no objection.  Senator Staples sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Senator Staples requested unanimous  
         consent to roll the amendments into a committee substitute;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Staples then  
         moved that the committee substitute be adopted; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Staples moved that SB 340  
         do not pass but that CSSB 340 be reported back to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a record vote of 11 ayes, 1 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 3 absent.  The following Member asked unanimous  
         consent to be shown voting aye on CSSB 340:  Senator Brimer.   
                
         At 10:01 p.m. Senator Bivins moved that the committee stand  
         recessed subject to the call of the chair.; without objection,  
         it was so ordered.   
          
         At 3:30 p.m. the committee reconvened.   
          
         Testimony was given on the following agencies with witnesses on  
         the attached list: 
          
         Article III - Public Education 
         Workgroup presentation was given by Senator Shapiro 
          
         Texas Education Agency -  Committee adopted workgroup  
         recommendations.  The motion carried with a record vote of 10  
         ayes, 2 nays, 0 present not voting, and 3 absent.  The following  
         Members asked unanimous consent to be shown voting aye:  Senator  
         Janek and Senator Nelson.   
                
         State Board for Educator Certification - Workgroup  
         recommendations left pending until the following morning to  
         await a quorum. 
          
         Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Workgroup  
         recommendations left pending until the following morning to  
         await a quorum. 
          
         Texas School for the Deaf - Workgroup recommendations left  
         pending until the following morning to await a quorum. 
          
         There being no further business, at 5:30 p.m. Senator Bivins  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Teel Bivins, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Stephanie Hoover, Clerk