MINUTES 
                                           
            SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERAN AFFAIRS & MILITARY INSTALLATIONS 
                              Wednesday, May 18, 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, May 18,  
         2005, in the Betty King Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, at  
         Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte            Senator Craig Estes 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Kel Seliger 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The chair recognized Patrick Hoffman, who led the Committee in  
         the pledge of allegiance. 
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Kel Seliger 
          
         Senator Seliger moved adoption of the minutes from the previous  
         hearing held on May 13, 2005; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out HB 2931 and recognized the Senate sponsor,  
         Senator Fraser, to explain the bill.  There being no witnesses  
         testifying for, on, or against the bill, the chair moved that  
         the public testimony be closed.  Without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Fraser moved that HB 2931 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.  Senator Fraser  
         moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &  
         Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Shapleigh moved to reconsider the vote by which HB 2931  
         was passed in order to reopen public testimony.  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 Fraser moved that  
         HB 2931 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.  Senator Fraser moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The chair laid out HB 1318 and recognized the Senate sponsor,  
         Senator Jackson, to explain the bill.  There being no witnesses  
         testifying for, on, or against the bill, the chair moved that  
         the public testimony be closed.  Without objection, it was so  
         ordered.  Senator Seliger moved that HB 1318 be reported  
         favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass  
         and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 3  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.     
          
         The subcommittee report on HB 2335 was laid out by Senator  
         Shapleigh.  Senator Shapleigh was recognized to explain the  
         subcommittee report on HB 2335.  Senator Shapleigh sent up  
         Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption; without objection, the  
         amendment was adopted.  Senator Shapleigh sent up Committee  
         Amendment 2 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.     
          
         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 HB 2335 do not pass but that CSHB  
         2335 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.   
          
         There being no further business, at 2:00 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