Amend the Pickett amendment to CSSB 1 (beginning on page 238, prefiled amendments packet) by striking the text of the amendment and substituting: Amend CSSB 1 in Article VII of the bill, Rider No. 57, under the appropriations to the Texas Department of Transportation (pages VII-35 and VII-36), as follows: (1) Strike "Engineering Staff. Prior to March 1, 2010, the Texas State Comptroller" and substitute: Engineering and Project Delivery Staff. The Texas Department of Transportation shall initiate a freeze on external hiring for all positions paid out of A.1.1. Strategy: Plan/Design/Manage, until a staffing plan is approved by the Legislative Budget Board. Before January 1, 2010, the comptroller of public accounts (2) In item c. of the rider, strike "this analysis will be performed by an independent contracted cost accounting firm knowledgeable of governmental accounting practices;". (3) In the final paragraph of the rider, strike "beginning on August 31, 2010, the Department" and substitute "beginning on April 1, 2010, the Department".