MINUTES 
                                           
                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON JURISPRUDENCE 
                             Wednesday, March 16, 2005 
                           1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.012 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence  
         was held on Wednesday, March 16, 2005, in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth                  Senator Kip Averitt 
         Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator Juan Hinojosa 
         Senator Royce West 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 1:39 p.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair laid out SB 524 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Eltife, 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 Harris moved that SB 524  
         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 clerk called roll.  There was a quorum present. 
          
         Senator Gallegos, Jr. moved adoption of the minutes from the  
         previous hearing held on March 9, 2005; without objection, it  
         was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 584 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Fraser, 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.  The chair referred SB 584 to a  
         subcommittee for further consideration.  The chair appointed  
         Senator Duncan as chair of the subcommittee and Senators Harris  
         and Hinojosa as members of the subcommittee.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 585 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Fraser, 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  
         585 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 669 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Seliger, 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 Duncan moved that SB 669  
         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 Harris moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 671 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Seliger, 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.  The bill was left pending. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 673 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Seliger, 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.  The bill was left pending. 
          
         At 2:46 p.m. Senator Duncan assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 165 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Wentworth, to explain the bill.  Senator Wentworth sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Wentworth to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
         bill as filed.  Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 1  
         and moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was  
         adopted.  Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 2 and  
         moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.   
         Senator Wentworth sent up Committee Amendment 3 and moved  
         adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.  Senator  
         Wentworth moved to withdraw Committee Amendment 3; without  
         objection, the amendment was withdrawn.  Senator Wentworth sent  
         up Committee Amendment 4 and moved adoption; without objection,  
         the amendment was adopted.  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 requested consent to roll the  
         amendments into a committee substitute; without objection, it  
         was so ordered.  Senator Wentworth then moved that the committee  
         substitute be adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 4:35 p.m. Senator Gallegos, Jr. assumed the chair.   
  
         At 4:53 p.m. Senator Duncan assumed the chair.   
         Senator Wentworth  asked to leave SB 165 pending.  Senator  
         Wentworth moved to reconsider the committee substitute that was  
         adopted for SB 165, there was no objection.  Senator Wentworth  
         moved to withdraw the committee substitute, there was no  
         objection. 
          
         At 5:05 p.m. Senator Wentworth resumed the chair.   
          
         The chair announced the motion in writing by Senator West. 
          
         Senator West was shown voting aye on the following bills:  SB  
              524 and SB 669. 
          
         There was no action taken on the following bills:  SB 145, SB  
              349 and SB 672.  
          
         There being no further business, at 5:05 p.m. Senator Wentworth  
              moved that the Committee  
         stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.  Without  
              objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
         Stephanie Hoover, Clerk