MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

9:00 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 State Affairs was held on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Joan Huffman, Chair	Senator Rodney Ellis, Vice Chair
Senator Brian Birdwell
Senator Brandon Creighton
Senator Craig Estes
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Charles Schwertner
Senator Judith Zaffirini

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The chair called the meeting to order at 9:03 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

The committee heard invited and public testimony regarding the following interim charge:

1. Review current ethics laws governing public officials and employees and recommend changes necessary to inspire the public’s confidence in a transparent and ethically principled government. Review public officials’ reporting requirements to the Texas Ethics Commission. Examine the categorization of ethics reporting violations and make recommendations to encourage accurate reporting and timely correction to inadvertent clerical errors.

 Witnesses testifying on the charges are shown on the attached list. The chair moved that the testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.

There being no further business, at 2:15 PM Senator Huffman moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Joan Huffman, Chair

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Amy Befeld, Clerk