MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SENATE
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
10 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole
Senate was held on Tuesday, May 11, 2004, in the Senate Chamber
at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Chris Harris
Senator Kip Averitt Senator Juan Hinojosa
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Kyle Janek
Senator Kim Brimer
Senator John Carona
Senator Bob Deuell
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Kevin Eltife
Senator Craig Estes
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
Senator Todd Staples
Senator Leticia Van de Putte
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Royce West
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Tommy Williams
Senator Judith Zaffirini
Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
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Dean Whitmire called the meeting to order at 10:48 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding administrative efficiency. Panel one
included the following persons, who provided oral testimony:
Steve West, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and
Operations, Allen ISD
Mike Jolly, Associate Superintendent for Finance and
Business Services, Round Rock ISD
Jack Campbell, Texas Association of Business
At 11:45 a.m., Dean Whitmire moved that the Committee of the
Whole Senate stand recessed until 1:15 p.m.
Dean Whitmire reconvened the Committee of the Whole Senate at
1:33 p.m.
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding charter school facilities. Panel two
included the following persons, who provided oral testimony:
Mike Feinberg, Co-Founder, KIPP Academy Charter School,
Houston
Chris Barbic, Founder/Head of Schools, YES College
Preparatory Schools, Houston
Rosemary Perlmeter, Founder/Director, The North Hills
School, Irving
Leroy McClure, CEO and Superintendent, Focus Learning
Academy, Dallas
Tom Torkelson, Executive Director, IDEA Academy, Donna
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding facilities. Panel three included the
following persons, who provided oral testimony:
Leonard Merrell, Fast Growth School Coalition
Bruce La Boon, Esquire, Locke, Liddell & Sapp, LLP
Catherine Clark, Texas Association of School Boards
Dean Whitmire recognized Senator Shapiro to explain the second
installment of the committee substitute for HB 1, "Facilities
and Funding Formulas."
Senator Armbrister assumed presiding duties.
Senator Armbrister called upon the following panel to provide
invited testimony regarding single tier and elements of the
system. Panel four included the following persons, who provided
oral testimony:
Ursula Parks, Public Education Manager, Legislative Budget
Board
Joe Wisnoski, Deputy Associate Commissioner on School
Finance and Fiscal Analysis, Texas Education Agency
Dean Whitmire resumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire called upon the following panel to provide invited
testimony regarding cost of education index. Panel five
included the following persons, who provided oral testimony:
Charles Tafoya, Superintendent, El Paso ISD
Larry Lewis, Superintendent, Lancaster ISD
Richard Middleton, Superintendent, North East ISD
Mike Motheral, Superintendent, Sundown ISD
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Lori Taylor, Assistant Professor, George Bush School of
Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University
Senator Brimer assumed presiding duties.
Senator Brimer called upon the following panel to provide
invited testimony regarding bilingual funding weight changes.
Panel six included the following persons, who provided oral
testimony:
Mary Jackson, Director of Special Programs, Fort Bend ISD
Sandra Acosta, President, Texas Association of Bilingual
Education
The following persons provided oral and written testimony:
Isabella Hinojosa, Coordinator for Bilingual-ESL,
Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
David Barbosa, Superintendent, Grand Prairie ISD
Dean Whitmire resumed presiding duties.
Dean Whitmire announced that panel seven regarding equity and
local enrichment would be considered on Wednesday, May 12, 2004.
Dean Whitmire recognized President Pro Tempore Jeff Wentworth at
5:48 p.m., who moved that the Committee of the Whole Senate rise
and report progress. Without objection, it was so ordered.
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Dean John Whitmire, Chair
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Patsy Spaw, Secretary of the Senate