MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS

Thursday, March 12, 2015

8:00 AM

Betty King Committee Room

*****

Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Nominations was held on Thursday, March 12, 2015, in the Betty King Committee Room at Austin, Texas.

*****

MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Brian Birdwell, Chair	Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Van Taylor, Vice Chair
Senator Konni Burton
Senator Craig Estes
Senator José Rodríguez
Senator Kirk Watson

*****

The chair called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.  There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

The following member arrived after the roll was called: Senator Craig Estes

Senator Rodríguez moved adoption of the minutes from the previous hearing held on March 5, 2015; without objection, it was so ordered.

Vice-Chairman Taylor moved that the committee vote on the nominations of Bruce Bugg, Jr. and the Honorable Tryon Lewis to be members of the Texas Transportation Commission.

Vice-Chairman Taylor requested to sever the Honorable Tryon Lewis from Bruce Bugg, Jr. Chairman Birdwell granted this request and proceeded to vote on the Nominees separately.

The motion for the nomination of Bruce Bugg Jr., to be a member of the Texas Transportation Commission, carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.

The motion for the nomination of the Honorable Tryon Lewis, to be a member of the Texas Transportation Commission, carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 present not voting, and 1 absent.

Senator Birdwell moved that committee vote to approve the nominations of the individuals to the following entities: Board for Lease of Texas Department of Criminal Justice Lands, Board for Lease of Texas Parks and Wildlife Lands, Commission on State Emergency Communications, Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, State Employee Charitable Campaign Policy Committee, State Office of Administrative Hearings, Texas Board of Professional Engineers, Texas Crime Stoppers Council, Texas Emergency Services Retirement System, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission.  The motion carried with a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.

Senator Craig Estes submitted a motion in writing to be shown voting aye on all of the pending nominees, without objection, it was so ordered.

Chairman Birdwell recognized Senator Huffines to introduce his constituent, Judge Mary Murphy, to the committee. Chairman Birdwell then recognized Senator Watson to introduce Judge Orlinda Naranjo, on behalf of Senator Fraser, to the committee. Chairman Birdwell introduced his constituent, Judge Cindy Ermatinger, to the committee. On behalf of Senator Eltife, Chairman Birdwell introduced Justice Greg Neeley to the committee.

Chairman Birdwell called Judge Cindy Ermatinger, nominated as Judge of the 443^rd Judicial District Court, and Justice Greg Neeley, nominated as Justice of the 12th Appellate District Place 3, to the witness table.

Judge Cindy Ermatinger and Justice Greg Neeley answered questions from the members of the committee.

Chairman Birdwell called Judge Orlinda Naranjo, a Supreme Court of Texas nominee to State Commission on Judicial Conduct, and Judge Mary Murphy, nominated as the Presiding Judge for the 1^st Administrative Judicial Region, to the witness table.   

Judge Orlinda Naranjo and Judge Mary Murphy answered questions from the members of the committee.

All nominees were left pending before the committee.  See attached witness list.

There being no further business, at 9:20 a.m., Chairman Birdwell moved that the committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

__________________________________________

Senator Brian Birdwell, Chair

__________________________________________

Inga Dedow, Clerk