MINUTES 
                                           
                       SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES 
                              Tuesday, March 15, 2005 
                                     2:30 p.m. 
                           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 Natural  
         Resources was held on Tuesday, March 15, 2005, in the Capitol  
         Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister              Senator Juan Hinojosa 
         Senator Mike Jackson                    Senator Jon Lindsay 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos              Senator Todd Staples 
         Senator Robert Duncan                    
         Senator Craig Estes 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Frank Madla 
         Senator Kel Seliger 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
         The chair announced the following bills: SB 459, SB 480, SB 485,  
         and SB 570 would not be heard at the request of the authors.  
          
         The chair laid out SB 268 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 268 be reported favorably  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay,  
         O present not voting, and 4 absent. Senator Madla moved that the  
         bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         Senator Fraser requested unanimous consent to be shown voting  
         "aye" on SB 268, there being no objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         The chair laid out SB 473 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, to explain the bill. Senator Jackson sent up a  
         committee substitute; the chair recognized Senator Jackson to  
         explain the difference between the committee substitute and the  
  
         bill as filed.  Senator Jackson moved adoption of the committee  
         substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.  Witnesses  
         testifying and registering are shown on the attached list. The  
         chair moved that public testimony be closed; without objection,  
         it was so ordered.  Senator Jackson moved adoption of the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Jackson moved that SB 473 do not pass but that CSSB 473  
         be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote  
         of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent. Senator  
         Jackson moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  
          
         The chair laid out subcommittee report on SB 587 and recognized  
         the author, Senator Jackson, to explain the bill. Senator  
         Barrientos moved to temporarily table SB 587. There being no  
         objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         The chair laid out the subcommittee report on SB 590 and  
         recognized the author, Senator Jackson, to explain the report.  
         Witnesses testifying and registering are shown on the attached  
         list. Senator Jackson sent up a committee substitute; the chair  
         recognized Senator Jackson to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Jackson  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute; without objection,  
         it was so ordered.  The chair moved that public testimony be  
         closed; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Jackson  
         then moved that SB 590 do not pass but that CSSB 590 be reported  
         back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and  
         be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent. Senator Jackson moved  
         that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 682 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Jackson, 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 Jackson moved that SB 682  
         be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a record vote of  
         7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 4 absent.   Senator  
         Duncan moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         Senator Barrientos moved that the subcommittee report on SB 587  
         be removed from the table. There being no objection, it was so  
         ordered. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are  
         shown on the attached list.  Senator Jackson moved that SB 587  
         do pass and be reported back to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 4 absent.   
  
         There being no further business, at 3:15 p.m. Senator Armbrister  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
         Kelly Gilbert, Clerk