MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

10:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.012

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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce was held on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Kelly Hancock, Chair	None
Senator Brandon Creighton, Vice Chair
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Don Huffines
Senator Charles Schwertner
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Larry Taylor
Senator Kirk Watson
Senator John Whitmire

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Senator Eltife was present. He made remarks and handed the gavel over to the new chairman, Senator Hancock. Senator Hancock also made remarks.

The chair called the meeting to order at 10:03 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

Chairman Hancock went over the schedule for future interim hearings.

The chair laid out the first interim charge of the hearing: Study elder financial abuse and determine what steps the State of Texas should take to help protect older Texans from financial exploitation.

Chairman Hancock opened up invited testimony. Witnesses are shown on the attached list. The chair moved that the invited testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair laid out the second interim charge of the hearing: Examine and make recommendations for necessary changes regarding the collection process of delinquent ad valorem property taxes, including an inquiry into the role that tax lien transfers play in forestalling foreclosure.

Chairman Hancock opened up invited testimony. Witnesses are shown on the attached list. The chair moved that the invited testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.

There being no further business, Chairman Hancock moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Kelly Hancock, Chair

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Mattie Heith, Clerk