MINUTES 
                                           
            SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERAN AFFAIRS & MILITARY INSTALLATIONS 
                             Wednesday, March 30, 2005 
                           1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                      Betty King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Veteran  
         Affairs & Military Installations was held on Wednesday, March  
         30, 2005, in the Betty King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, at  
         Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte            None 
         Senator Craig Estes 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Kel Seliger 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 2:21 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Craig Estes 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
          
         The chair recognized Austin Kotch, who led the Committee in the  
         Pledge of Allegiance. 
          
         Senator Van de Putte moved adoption of the minutes from the  
         previous hearings held on March 16, 2005, and March 21, 2005;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 955 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 Seliger moved that SB 955  
         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 Seliger moved that the bill be recommended for placement  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
  
          The chair laid out SB 1217 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 Seliger  
         moved that SB 1217 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 Seliger moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1479 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, 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  
         Shapleigh moved that SB 1479 be reported favorably 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.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1480 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Shapleigh, to explain the bill.  Senator Shapleigh sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Senator Shapleigh requested unanimous  
         consent to roll the amendments into a committee substitute;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Shapleigh then  
         moved that the committee substitute be adopted; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Shapleigh moved that SB  
         1480 do not pass but that CSSB 1480 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 Shapleigh moved that  
         the bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         At 3:03 p.m. Senator Estes assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 1342 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Van de Putte, to explain the bill.  Senator Van de Putte moved  
         that SB 1342 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 Seliger moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 101 and recognized the author, Senator Van  
         de Putte, to explain the bill.  Senator Van de Putte reminded  
         the Committee that the bill had been heard on March 16, 2005,  
         and that a committee substitute was adopted.  Senator Van de  
  
         Putte then moved adoption of the committee substitute; without  
         objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Van de Putte moved that  
         SB 101 do not pass but that CSSB 101 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.   
          
         At 3:10 p.m. Senator Van de Putte resumed the chair.   
          
         There being no further business, at 3:11 p.m. Senator Van de  
         Putte moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the  
         call of the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.    
          
         _____________________________ 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Chair 
          
         _____________________________ 
         Sara Gonzalez, Clerk