MINUTES 
                                           
                  SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS 
                             Wednesday, March 23, 2005 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.028 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on  
         Intergovernmental Relations was held on Wednesday, March 23,  
         2005, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.028, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Frank Madla                     None 
         Senator Kim Brimer 
         Senator Bob Deuell 
         Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         Senator Madla moved adoption of the minutes from the previous  
         hearings held on March 16, 2005, and March 22, 2005; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1014 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Harris, to explain the bill.  Witnesses 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 SB 1014 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 0 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 447 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Janek, to explain the bill.  Senator Deuell sent up a committee  
         substitute; the chair recognized Senator Janek to explain the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Deuell 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.  Senator Madla moved that SB 447 be left pending; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 718 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Eltife, to explain the bill.  Witnesses 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 Gallegos, Jr. moved that SB 718 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 0 absent.  Senator Gallegos, Jr.  
         moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Gallegos, Jr. requested to be shown voting aye on SB  
         1014; without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 693 and recognized Senator Deuell, in the  
         absence of the author, 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 SB 693 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 0 absent.  Senator Wentworth moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Brimer assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1088 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, to explain the bill.  Witnesses 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 Madla moved that SB 1088 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 0 absent.  Senator Madla moved that the  
         bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1137 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, to explain the bill.  Witnesses 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 Madla moved that SB 1137 be left pending; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Madla resumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 879 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Gallegos, Jr., 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 Gallegos, Jr. sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Senator Gallegos, Jr. requested  
  
         unanimous consent to roll the amendments into a committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Gallegos, Jr. then moved that the committee substitute be  
         adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator  
         Gallegos, Jr. moved that SB 879 do not pass but that CSSB 879 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 1 absent.   
          
         Senator Deuell requested to be shown voting aye on SB 1088;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 863 and recognized the author, Senator Van  
         de Putte, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Brimer assumed the chair.  Senator Madla resumed the  
         chair.  Senator Gallegos, Jr. sent up a committee substitute;  
         the chair recognized Senator Van de Putte to explain the  
         difference between the committee substitute and the bill as  
         filed.  Senator Gallegos, Jr. 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 Madla moved that  
         SB 863 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 583 and recognized Senator Brimer, in the  
         absence of the author, to explain the bill.  Witnesses  
         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 Madla moved that SB 583  
         be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Brimer assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 461 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Madla, 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 Madla moved that SB 461  
         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 0 absent.   
         Senator Madla moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 282 which was previously left pending and  
         recognized the author, Senator Madla, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Madla sent up a proposed committee substitute; the chair  
         recognized Senator Madla to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Gallegos,  
         Jr. sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without  
         objection, the amendment was adopted.  Witnesses 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 Madla requested unanimous consent to roll the  
         amendments into the proposed committee substitute; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Madla then moved that the  
         new committee substitute be adopted; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.  Senator Madla moved that SB 282 do not pass but  
         that CSSB 282 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 0 absent. 
          
         Senator Madla resumed the chair.   
          
         Senator Wentworth requested to be shown voting aye on SB 461 and  
         SB 282; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Deuell  
         requested to be shown voting aye on SB 282; without objection,  
         it was so ordered. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 644 and recognized Senator Brimer, in the  
         absence of the author, to explain the bill.  Witnesses  
         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 SB 644  
         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 0 absent.   
         Senator Brimer moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         Senator Wentworth requested to be shown voting aye on SB 644;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         There was no action taken for the following bill(s): SB 243 and  
         SB 829. 
          
         There being no further business, at 10:53 a.m. Senator Madla  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Frank Madla, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
         Christine Wright, Clerk