MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
1:00 p.m.
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, May 21, 2003, in the Senate
Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Rodney Ellis Senator Teel Bivins
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Kenneth Armbrister
Senator Kim Brimer
Senator Bill Ratliff
Senator John Whitmire
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 2:45 p.m. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted:
CSHB 2455 was left pending during the GOC's hearing on May 14th.
Senator Ratliff pulled down the former committee substitute.
Then, Senator Ratliff sent up the new committee substitute; the
chair recognized Senator Nelson to explain the difference
between the new committee substitute and the bill as filed.
Senator Ratliff moved adoption of the new committee substitute;
without objection, it was so ordered. 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 Brimer moved that HB 2455
do not pass but that CSHB 2455 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.
CSHB was left pending during the GOC's hearing on May 14th. The
chair recognized Senator Nelson 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. No witnesses testified or
registered on the bill. The chair moved that the public
testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis moved that HB 1218 do not pass but that CSHB 1218
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
Ellis moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the
Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The chair laid out HB 599 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Jackson, to explain the bill. Senator Armbrister sent
up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption. The motion carried
with a record vote of 4 ayes, 1 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2
absent. Senator Whitmire sent up Committee Amendment 2 and
pulled it down. Senator Brimer sent up Committee Amendment 3 and
pulled it down. Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 4
and moved adoption. The motion carried with a record vote of 6
ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator
Armbrister requested unanimous consent to roll the amendments
into a committee substitute; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Armbrister then moved that the committee
substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.
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
Armbrister moved that HB 599 do not pass but that CSHB 599 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 chair laid out HB 2933 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Barrientos, to explain the bill. Senator Armbrister
sent up a committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator
Barrientos 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. 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 Ellis moved that HB 2933 be left pending; without
objection, it was so ordered.
HB 1166 was left pending during the GOC's May 14th hearing. No
witnesses testified and registered on the bill. The chair moved
that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was
so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that HB 1166 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
Armbrister moved that the bill be recommended for placement on
the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
HB 1241 was left pending during the GOC's hearing on May 14th.
No witnesses testified or registered on the bill. The chair
moved that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it
was so ordered. Senator Armbrister moved that HB 1241 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
Armbrister moved that the bill be recommended for placement on
the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
HB 1401 was left pending during the GOC's hearing on May 14th.
No witnesses testified and registered on the bill. The chair
moved that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it
was so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that HB 1401 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 Brimer
moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.
CSHB 2485 was left pending during the GOC's hearing on May 14th.
No witnesses testified and registered on the bill. The chair
moved that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it
was so ordered. Senator Ratliff moved that HB 2485 do not pass
but that CSHB 2485 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 Ratliff moved that the bill be
recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;
without objection, it was so ordered.
HB 3024 was left pending during the GOC's hearing on May 14th.
No witnesses testified and registered on the bill. The chair
moved that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it
was so ordered. Senator Armbrister moved that HB 3024 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
Armbrister moved that the bill be recommended for placement on
the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so
ordered.
The chair laid out HB 2376 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Averitt, to explain the bill. No witnesses testified and
registered on the bill. The chair moved that the public
testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Armbrister moved that HB 2376 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.
The chair laid out HB 2519 and recognized Senator Armbrister in
the absence of the Senate sponsor, Senator Lucio, Jr., 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. 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
Armbrister moved that HB 2519 do not pass but that CSHB 2519 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 Whitmire assumed the chair.
The chair laid out HB 1538 and recognized Senator Armbrister, in
the absence of the Senate sponsor, Senator Shapleigh, 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 Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator
Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 2 and moved adoption;
without objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator
Armbrister requested unanimous consent to roll the amendments
into a committee substitute; without objection, it was so
ordered. Senator Armbrister then moved that the committee
substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Armbrister moved that HB 1538 do not pass but that CSHB
1538 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 Armbrister moved that the bill be recommended for
placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without
objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Ellis resumed the chair.
No action was taken on the following bills:
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
Minutes
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
page 4
HB 1318
HB 3042
There being no further business, at 5:45 p.m. Senator Ellis
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair
______________________
Karen Domino, Clerk