MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Monday, March 27, 2023

10:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.036

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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 Finance was held on Monday, March 27, 2023, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Joan Huffman, Chair	Senator Bob Hall
Senator Juan Hinojosa, Vice Chair	Senator Royce West
Senator Paul Bettencourt
Senator Donna Campbell
Senator Brandon Creighton
Senator Pete Flores
Senator Kelly Hancock
Senator Bryan Hughes
Senator Lois Kolkhorst
Senator Robert Nichols
Senator Angela Paxton
Senator Charles Perry
Senator Charles Schwertner
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Judith Zaffirini

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The chair called the meeting to order at 10:04 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

Senator Huffman made opening remarks.

The chair laid out as a matter of pending business SB 1.

The chair recognized Senator Kolkhorst on the workgroup recommendations for Article II.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article II.

Senator Kolkhorst moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article II, without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair recognized Senator Hinojosa on the workgroup recommendations for Articles I, IV and V.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article I.

Senator Hinojosa moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article I, without objection, it was so ordered.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article IV.

Senator Hinojosa moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article IV, without objection, it was so ordered.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article V.

Senator Hinojosa moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article V, without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair recognized Senator Creighton on the workgroup recommendations for Article III.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article III, Public Education.

Senator Creighton moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article III, Public Education, without objection, it was so ordered.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article III, Higher Education.

Senator Hinojosa moved that The Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi rider on page 47 be moved to Article XI, without objection, it was so ordered. 

Senator Zaffirini requested to sever the rider on page 17 relating to diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Senator Creighton moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article III, Higher Education, with the exception of the severed item, without objection, it was so ordered.  

Senator Creighton moved to adopt the rider on page 17 to be included in the adopted recommendations for Article III, Higher Education.

There being 12 ayes and 3 nays, the motion was adopted and the rider will be included.

The chair recognized Senator Nichols on the workgroup recommendations for Articles VI, VII and VIII.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article
VI.

Senator Hinojosa requested that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rider on page 24 be moved to Article XI, without objection, it was so ordered. 

Senator Nichols moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article VI, without objection, it was so ordered.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article
VII.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article
VIII.

Senator Nichols moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article VII, without objection, it was so ordered.

Senator Nichols moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article VIII, without objection, it was so ordered.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article
IX.

Senator Hinojosa moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article IX, without objection, it was so ordered.

The Legislative Budget Board laid out workgroup recommendations for Article
X.

The chair moved to adopt workgroup recommendations for Article X, without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair read the Legislative Budget Board directives. The was no objection to the directives.

Senator Hughes submitted a motion in writing asking to be shown voting aye to adopt the Article III, Higher Education rider on page 17 relating to diversity, equity and inclusion practices and for it to be included in the Article III, Higher Education workgroup recommendations.

There being no further business, at 1:26 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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Stephanie Hoover, Clerk