MINUTES 
                                           
                        SENATE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE 
                            Thursday, February 17, 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 Criminal  
         Justice was held on Thursday, February 17, 2005, in the Capitol  
         Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator John Whitmire                   Senator Rodney Ellis 
         Senator Kel Seliger                     Senator Juan Hinojosa 
         Senator John Carona                     Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Tommy Williams 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 1:40 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair, Senator Whitmire, introduced Committee Staff. 
          
         The Chair laid out the proposed Committee Rules and Senator  
         Carona moved adoption.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         The Chair recognized the following witness to testify on the  
         status of the Texas Prison system, Texas Department of Criminal  
         Justice: 
          
         Brad Livingston, Interim Executive Director, Texas Department of  
         Criminal Justice 
          
         The Chair recognized the following witnesses to testify on the  
         International Prison Transfer Treaty: 
          
         Honorable Judith Slater, Counsel-General, HM Prison Service 
         Graham Wilkinson, Head of Cross Border Transfers, HM Prison  
         Service 
         Calvin Brown, Manager - Inmate Administrator, Georgia Dept of  
         Corrections 
         Paula Wolff, Chief, International Prisoner Transfer Unit, US  
         Department of Justice 
         Kim Vernon, Director, State Counsel for Offenders 
         Rissie Owens, Chair, Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles 
          
         There being no further business, at 3:30 PM, Senator Whitmire  
  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.