MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
1:00 p.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 Government
Organization was held on Wednesday, April 23, 2003, in the
Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas. Senator Ellis suspended the
Senate's posting rules so that the Senate Government
Organization Committee can hear HB 89, instead of SB 149 (HB
89's companion bill), which was previously posted.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Rodney Ellis None
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Kenneth Armbrister
Senator Teel Bivins
Senator Kim Brimer
Senator Bill Ratliff
Senator John Whitmire
*****
Senator Wentworth called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. A
quorum already being established, the following business was
transacted:
The chair laid out HB 660 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Deuell, to explain the bill. Senator Wentworth moved
that the committee stand at ease.
The chair laid out HB 89 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Barrientos, 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 Wentworth moved that the
committee stand at ease.
The chair laid out HB 1075 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Ellis, to explain the bill. Witnesses registering; not
testifying 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 Wentworth moved that the committee stand
at ease.
SB 1828 was left pending in the Government Organization
Committee on April 16, 2003. The chair laid out SB 1828 and
recognized the author, Senator Averitt, to explain the bill.
Senator Wentworth moved that the committee stand at ease.
Senator Ellis resumed the chair.
The chair laid out SB 19 and recognized Senator Armbrister, in
the absence of the author, Senator Ratliff, to explain the bill.
Senator Armbrister sent up a committee substitute; the chair
recognized Senator Armbrister to explain the difference between
the committee substitute and the bill as filed. Senator Ellis
moved adoption of the committee substitute; without objection,
it was so ordered. Senator Armbrister sent up Committee
Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment
was adopted. Senator Armbrister requested unanimous consent to
roll the amendment into a committee substitute; without
objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ellis then moved that the
committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Ellis moved that SB 19 do not pass but that
CSSB 19 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0
absent. Senator Ellis moved that the bill be recommended for
placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without
objection, it was so ordered.
The chair went back to the previous heard; not voted on bills so
that the committee could vote on them.
On HB 660, the following transaction took place:
Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption;
without objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator Ellis
requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a
committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis then moved that the committee substitute be
adopted; without objection, it was so ordered. Witnesses
registering; not testifying 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 Ellis
moved that HB 660 do not pass but that CSHB 660 be reported back
to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0
nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Armbrister
moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.
On HB 89, the following transaction took place:
Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator
Ellis requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a
committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis then moved that the committee substitute be
adopted; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator
Armbrister moved that HB 89 do not pass but that CSHB 89 be
reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do
pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 7
ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator
Armbrister moved that the bill be recommended for placement on
the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
On HB 1075, the following transaction took place:
Senator Wentworth moved that HB 1075 be reported favorably to
the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0
nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Wentworth
moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.
On SB 1828, the following transaction took place:
Senator Armbrister assumed the chair.
The chair re-laid out SB 1828 and recognized the author, Senator
Averitt, to explain the bill. Senator Armbrister sent up a
committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Averitt to
explain the difference between the committee substitute and the
bill as filed. Senator Armbrister moved adoption of the
committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis resumed the chair.
Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption;
without objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator Brimer
requested unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a new
committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis then moved that the new committee substitute be
adopted; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Brimer
moved that SB 1828 do not pass but that CSSB 1828 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 Brimer moved
that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.
The chair laid out SB 270 and recognized the author, Senator
Jackson, to explain the bill. Senator Armbrister sent up a
committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Jackson to
explain the difference between the committee substitute and the
bill as filed. Senator Armbrister moved adoption of the
committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis sent up Committee Amendment #1 and pulled it down.
Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendments #2 and #3 and pulled
them down. Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendments #4,
#5, #6, #7, #8, #9 and #10 and pulled them down. Senator
Armbrister moved that SB 270 do not pass but that CSSB 270 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.
Senator Ellis read the following votes into the record:
Senator Bivins sent in a motion in writing, voting YEA, on the
following bills:
SH 19
HB 89
HB 660
HB 1075
Senator Wentworth sent in a motion in writing, voting YEA, on
the following bills:
SB 19
HB 89
HB 660
HB 1075
Senator Whitmire sent in motion in a writing, voting YEA, on the
following bills:
SB 19
SH 1828
HB 89
HB 660
HB 1075
The chair laid out SB 1771 and recognized the author, Senator
Brimer, to explain the bill. Senator Brimer sent up a committee
substitute; the chair recognized Senator Brimer to explain the
difference between the committee substitute and the bill as
filed. Senator Ellis moved adoption of the committee
substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator
Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without
objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator Brimer requested
unanimous consent to roll the amendment into a new committee
substitute; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ellis
then moved that the new committee substitute be adopted; without
objection, it was so ordered. Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.
Senator Wentworth assumed the chair.
Senator Ellis resumed the chair.
The chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without
objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ellis asked that CSSB
1771 be left pending until tomorrow, when it will be voted out
at his desk.
The chair laid out SB 1818 and 1819; recognized the author,
Senator Van de Putte, to explain the bill. Senator Armbrister
sent up a committee substitute for both bills; the chair
recognized Senator Van de Putte to explain the difference
between the committee substitutes and the bills as filed.
Senator Ellis moved adoption of both committee substitutes;
without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that
CSSB 1818 and CSSB 1819 be left pending; without objection, it
was so ordered.
There being no further business, Senator Ellis moved that the
Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
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Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair
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Karen Domino, Clerk