MINUTES SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Wednesday, February 23, 2005 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, February 23, 2005, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas. ***** MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Senator Steve Ogden None Senator Judith Zaffirini Senator Kip Averitt Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Kim Brimer Senator Bob Deuell Senator Robert Duncan Senator Kyle Janek Senator Jane Nelson Senator Florence Shapiro Senator Eliot Shapleigh Senator Todd Staples Senator Royce West Senator John Whitmire Senator Tommy Williams ***** The chair called the meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted: The chair laid out SB 1, the General Appropriations Bill, which had been left pending at a previous hearing. Witnesses providing testimony are shown on the attached list. The chair recognized Senator Williams to lay out the workgroup recommendations for Article IV. At 9:31 a.m. Senator Barrientos assumed the chair. At 9:33 a.m. Senator Ogden resumed the chair. Senator Barrientos moved to amend Strategy D.1.4 regarding the Comptroller's Department - Judiciary Section, Public Integrity Unit of the Article IV workgroup recommendations. There was a roll call vote. The motion failed with a record vote of 5 ayes, 9 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Zaffirini and Senator Whitmire requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on the amendment; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Williams moved to adopt the workgroup recommendations for Article IV, with the exception of pending items. There was a roll call vote. The motion carried with a record vote of 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent. Senator Zaffirini, Senator Averitt and Senator Whitmire requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on the workgroup recommendations for Article IV; without objection, it was so ordered. The chair recognized Senator Williams to lay out the workgroup recommendations for Article VIII. At 9:50 a.m. Senator Ogden moved that the Committee stand recessed until 1:00 p.m. Without objection, it was so ordered. The Committee reconvened at 1:03 p.m. Senator Williams resumed laying out the workgroup recommendations for Article VIII. Senator Staples moved to amend items 1-4 regarding the Workers' Compensation Commission of the Article VIII workgroup recommendations. Senator Staples moved adoption of the amendment; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Williams moved to adopt the amended workgroup recommendations for Article VIII, with the exception of pending items. There was a roll call vote. The motion carried with a record vote of 14 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Shapiro, Senator Duncan, and Senator West requested unanimous consent to be shown voting aye on the workgroup recommendations for Article VIII; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ogden moved that SB 1 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered. There being no further business, at 2:05 p.m. Senator Ogden moved that the Committee stand recessed until 45 minutes after adjournment of the Senate the following day, February 24, 2005. Without objection, it was so ordered. _____________________________ Senator Steve Ogden, Chair _____________________________ Amy Jeter, Clerk