Senate Transcript, March 16, 2011

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, the Senate will come to order. And the secretary will call the roll.

PATSY SPAW: Birdwell, Carona, Davis, Deuell, Duncan, Ellis, Eltife, Estes, Fraser, Gallegos, Harris, Hegar, Hinojosa, Huffman, Jackson, Lucio, Nelson, Nichols, Ogden, Patrick, Rodriguez, Seliger, Shapiro, Uresti, Van de Putte, Watson, Wentworth, west, Whitmire, Williams, Zaffirini.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Madam Secretary. A quorum is present. Would all those -- before we do that, before we do that, just for a moment. I'm going to ask Senator Zaffirini to introduce our pastor this morning.

SENATOR ZAFFIRINI: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President and members, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the pastor of the day, the Reverend Dr. Douglas Richnel. Although he is Senator Ellis' constituent, I'm introducing him because he was my first chief of staff in the Texas Senate in 1987. He left to attend Virginia Theological Seminary which granted his Master's of Divinity in 1992. Dr. Richnel is senior associate director of the Church of St. John's Divine in Houston where he overseas all church ministries and he teaches the new members class, the marriage class and the men's life program. He also excels in mission work in Africa. Dr. Richnel is passionate about education. In addition to his Master's, he holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a doctor of ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Our pastor of the day has been married to Nikki for 30 years and is a father of three children and grandfather of five. Thank you, Dr. Richnel, for visiting the Texas Senate and for the beautiful and inspiring opening prayer you will offer us today. Mr. President and members, please join me in thanking and welcoming Dr. Doug Richnel for serving as our pastor of the day.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Would all those on the floor please rise and in the gallery please rise for the invocation this morning to be delivered by Dr. Douglas Richnel, who's the pastor of St. John's the Divine Church in Houston.

PASTOR: Let us pray. Oh, God, whose will is good and gracious and whose law is truth, bless the leaders and members of this Senate that they might seek to be guided by your gracious hand. To enact such legislation as would please You and to make wise decisions over the matters in which they have been given charge. Give them courage, wisdom and foresight to provide for the needs and protection of the people of our state and to fulfill their obligations to the communities whom they represent. And Lord, in this season of scarcity, may Your grace be showered upon the treasures and revenues of this great state that they might be multiplied by Your power to grant provision to all those who are hurting and who are in need. And finally, Lord, help these men and women in the midst of their debate to work together with mutual forbearance and respect and to confront one another with a common love of justice and truth. All this we ask in Your Holy name. Amen.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you so much. Senator Zaffirini, what an excellent background -- please be seated, ladies and gentlemen, thank you. What an excellent background for the pastor having worked with you in the past. The Chair will hear excuses for absent members. Senator Whitmire moves to excuse Senator Davis of matters of important business. Is there any objection from any member? Chair hears no objection. So ordered. Senator Whitmire moves to dispense from the readings of yesterday's journal. Is there any objection from any member? Chair hears no objection. So ordered. The Chair recognizes Senator Harris to introduce the doctor of the day.

SENATOR HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. President. It's a real honor for me to welcome back to the Capitol Dr. Antoni Anderson. He's been practicing medicine for years. He lives in Grand Prairie, Texas. He practices in Duncanville. Now, he's a graduate of Southwestern Medical School. He did his residency at John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth. He has served as doctor of the day previously in both 1999 and 2001. Again, help me welcome Dr. Anderson here to the Capitol.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Doctor, we appreciate you being with us. Thank you, sir. Members, the Chair signs in the presence of the Senate the following.

PATSY SPAW: House Concurrent Resolution No. 76, House Concurrent Resolution No. 59, House Concurrent Resolution No. 58, House Concurrent Resolution No. 56 and House Concurrent Resolution No. 40.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Members, if there's no objection, I'd like to postpone the reading and referral of bills until after today's session. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, so ordered. Senator Zaffirini. Your resolution 534. The Chair lays out -- Senator Zaffirini, the secretary will read the resolution.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Resolution 534. Whereas, citizens from Karnes County are gathering in Austin for a special day at the State Capitol on March 16th, 2011 land whereas, the county was named for Henry Wax Karnes, a Texas revolutionary war hero and was officially organized on February 4th, 1854, when the legislature passed a measure recognizing its establishment. And whereas, Karnes County benefited from the arrival of the railroads in the mid 1880s and the improved access to markets ushered in the diversified farming, livestock and ranching economy that has been important to the area ever since; and whereas today, the region's leading businesses include not only agricultural operations but also oil and gas production. Uranium, mining and milling, processing and fiberglass manufacturing. Now, therefore be it resolved that the Senate of the State of Texas 82nd Legislature hereby recognize March 16th, 2011 as Karnes County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable day in Austin. And be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be prepared in honor of this special day. By Zaffirini.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you. Chair recognizes Senator Zaffirini to explain the resolution.

SENATOR ZAFFIRINI: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President and members, it is my great pleasure to sponsor Senate Resolution 534 honoring Karnes County and recognizing March 16th as Karnes County Day at the Texas Capitol. Located in the Rio Grande plain region bisected by the San Antonio River, Karnes County is home to nearly 15,000 of my constituents who live in communities including Karnes City, Kennedy, Falls City, Gillette, Hobson and Rungy. These are exciting times in Karnes County. Oil and gas exploration in the Eagle Ford shell has brought significant economic growth, and the county was featured recently in the Wall Street Journal. Despite the growth and change Karnes County still celebrates its rich history especially since it is the location of Panama Ria, the oldest Polish settlement in the United States and the ghost town of Helena, the former county seat. Families from all over Texas flock to its county's premier celebrations including the Bluebonnet Days in Kennedy and the Lonesome Dove festival in Karnes City. Mr. President and members, residents of Karnes County are preserving the character and history of their unique region while working to build a prosperous future. Today, there is a delegation present in the west gallery, and I'd ask them to join me in being recognized and bringing attention to Karnes County. They include the Honorable Barbara shaw, county judge; the Honorable Alfred (inaudible), former county judge; the Honorable Commissioner Karl Hummal; the Honorable Pete Yower, commissioner; the Honorable Robert Busselman, county attorney; the Honorable David Yuleska, Karnes County, sheriff; and my very dear friend Olga Verna representing the Karnes City Chamber of Commerce. Mr. President and members, please join me in welcoming the delegation from Karnes County to the Texas Senate. Welcome.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Zaffirini. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Zaffirini. Is there objection from any member? The Chair hears no objection, and the resolution recognizing Karnes County is adopted.

SENATOR ZAFFIRINI: Thank you, Mr. President. And may I add a special note to Senator Uresti to please stop coveting the counties in my district as we redistrict. He cannot have Karnes County. Thank you.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: So noted. Chair recognizes Senator Nelson for an introduction. Kids Who Care.

SENATOR NELSON: Thank you, Mr. President and members, I want to welcome a very talented group of young performers who are seated in the gallery. They are members of Kids who Care. A Fort Worth based theater company who produces confident and creative young leaders through musical education and performance. Among their musicals is an original work District 11, Believe in Me. A celebration of teachers who are changing the world. They will be performing, members, in the rotunda at noon, I encourage you to go and listen to them. Senator Davis wasn't able to be here today because she's attending a funeral but she certainly joins me in recognizing this group from Fort Worth. They -- I was going to ask them to rise, but they're standing already. Members, please help me welcome the performers of Kids who Care in the gallery. Right up here. Welcome. And Mr. President, if I might add another personal welcome, we have a very special page here today with us, my niece Olivia Tedesco and her mom, my husband's baby sister up in the gallery, Sarah Segara and Olivia Tedesco are here with us today. Thank you, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you. Members, I'm going to ask you, if you would to please take your seat. We have a memorial resolution. Chair lays out Senate Resolution No. 486 by Senator Duncan. The secretary will read the resolution.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Resolution 486 in memory of Danny Keith Gunn of Idalou who died on February 12th, 2011. By Duncan.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Duncan to explain the resolution.

SENATOR DUNCAN: Thank you, Mr. President, members. Danny Gunn was born and raised in Post, Texas and went on to graduate from Anglo State University and started out working in the oil fields but later decided to pursue a career as an agricultural education teacher. He started out teaching in the small community of Klondike and then moved to Lanesa and spent the last seven years teaching in Idalou, Texas. Members, you may note Idalou as the state champion in football and now in the same year the state champion in basketball. Danny was a major part of that school as the vocational agricultural teacher there. He had an amazing ability to mold and build anything with his hands including strong outstanding young people, which is what we all admire in our public educators. He was a very successful ag teacher and took many students to state and national competitions and he was named Soil and Water Conservation Teacher of the Year. Danny's life was cut short on February 12th as a result of an automobile accident in San Antonio while attending the fat stock show there. You may have read about it in the paper. The influence that Danny had on people could be seen in the outreach from all corners of this state after his untimely death. He has been recognized as a major stock shows, and memorial bracelets have been created to instill his legacy everywhere, I have one on today. Everyone who knew Danny knew how much he loved and adored his wife and children. He taught them to be tough and to never give up on their goals and gave them a name to be proud of. Danny and Melinda were married for 24 years and worked hard together to raise three talented young adults, and I know Melinda as well. She had the chore of teaching my son at Monterey High School where she is a very active and successful educator. Tatum competed in many -- and Tatum, raise your hand. Tatum competed in many FFA leadership development events throughout high school and was a national qualifier in the FFA job interview contest and later became the state FFA first vice president from 2007 to 2008. Garrett was very active -- Garrett, raise your hand -- very active in many groups and organizations in Idalou and was Area FFA president in 2009 and 2010. Brady is currently a senior at Monterey High School and has made a name for himself as a Plainsman on football and baseball fields and is also the current student council vice president. Tatum and Garrett are now students at Texas A&M University, I don't know how we let that happen but we did. And Brady will be joining them in the fall. I'll still work on you, Brady. Danny has never missed a game or contest that has involved his kids, and as you can tell he did a fine job. He and Melinda had done a fine job. He always had the most contagious smile on his face no matter the situation. Danny has completed the race, but he will encourage us all to stay in the race and push on. Members, I urge adoption of Senate Resolution 486.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Duncan. Would those members in favor, please rise? It being unanimous, the resolution is adopted. Mr. Doorkeeper.

MR. DOORKEEPER: Mr. President there is a message from the House.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Admit the messenger.

MESSENGER: Mr. President, I'm directed by the House to inform the Senate that the House has taken the following action. The House has passed the following measures. HCR1 --

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Deuell, are you ready, sir? The following report from the nominations committee. The Chair recognizes Senator Deuell to explain the report.

SENATOR DEUELL: Thank you, Mr. President. Members, I move to confirm the nominees that are listed in the action report placed on your desks. These nominees were taken up at our Monday March 14th meeting.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, are there any requests to sever? Hear no motions to sever, Senator Deuell moves that the nominees reported favorably from nominations committee be confirmed. The secretary will call the roll.

PATSY SPAW: Birdwell, Carona, Davis, Deuell, Duncan, Ellis, Eltife, Estes, Fraser, Gallegos, Harris, Hegar, Hinojosa, Huffman, Jackson, Lucio, Nelson, Nichols --

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, the nominees are confirmed. Senator West, are you ready with yours? Okay. Chair recognizes Senator West for an introduction.

SENATOR WEST: Thank you very much, Mr. President and members. At this time I'd like to welcome Leadership Southwest and make certain that we recognize that it's Leadership Southwest Day here at the Capitol. Mr. President and members, I rise to recognize the officers, members and alums of the Leadership Southwest, which I am an alum of the Leadership Southwest, who have traveled here today to make certain that the interests and the perspective of the communities are, in fact, articulated to the members of the legislature, both the House and the Senate. These communities are Desoto, Duncanville, Cedar, Lancaster, in the southern most portion of Dallas county. I share this representation of these fine cities with my colleagues Senator Harris and also Senator Deuell. The class members and the alums, some of which are in the gallery, include the elected officials. The Honorable Marcus Nightmare, the city of Lancaster; the Honorable (inaudible), Desoto city council; Leona (inaudible) city of Glen Heights; the Honorable Christopher Marvin, city of Cedar Hill, Patricia Ledbetter, the city of Desoto; Honorable Steven mason, the city of Cedar Hill. These members participate in this particular program. And, members, I'd like to ask all of the members of Leadership Southwest to stand up so we can recognize you today. Let's give them a hand.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator West, and thank you for being here ladies and gentlemen. Members, that concludes the morning call. The Chair lays out Senate bill -- the Chair recognizes Senator Watson for a motion to suspend the regular order of business on Senate Bill 292.

SENATOR WATSON: Thank you, Mr. President, members. I move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider at this time Senate Bill 292 which designates a static boundary within the city limits of Austin for the two urban board districts of the Barton Spring Edwards Aquifer groundwater district. I move suspension of the rules.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Watson moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 292. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on second reading Senate Bill 292. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 292 relating to changes in the single member district boundaries of the Barton Springs Edward aquifer conservation district.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Watson for a motion.

SENATOR WATSON: Mr. President, I move passage of Senate Bill 292 to engrossment.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion from Senator Watson. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and Senate Bill 292 passes to engrossment. The Chair recognizes Senator Watson for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR WATSON: So moved, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Mr. Watson. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 29 ayes and one nay. The rule is suspended. Chair lays out on third reading and final passage. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 292 relating to changes in the single member district boundaries of the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer conservation district.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Watson for a motion.

SENATOR WATSON: Mr. President, thank you. I move final passage of Senate Bill 292.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Watson. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Watson. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, Senate Bill 292 is finally passed.

SENATOR WATSON: Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, members.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion to suspend the regular order of business on Senate Bill 433.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President and members. In August of 2010 the Texas attorney general issued an opinion on land included in two groundwater conservation districts. The AG said that two different political subdivisions may not exercise jurisdiction over the same territory at the same time for the same purpose. Senate Bill 433 clears up this problem for 410 acres in Senate District 18. It removes Bastrop County acreage, and it puts it in one ground water district and this is agreed to by all parties. And I would move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 433.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator Hegar moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 433. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on second reading Senate Bill 433. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 433 relating to de-accusation of land in Bastrop County by the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer conservation district.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President. Move passage to engrossment.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Hegar. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and Senate Bill 433 passes to engrossment. Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule that the bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President. I move to suspend the three day rule to consider Senate Bill 433.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Hegar. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 29 ayes and one nay, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on third reading and final passage Senate Bill 433. The secretary will read the passage.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 433 relating to the annexation of land in Bastrop County by the Barton Springs County Edwards Aquifer conservation district.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President. Move final passage.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Hegar. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, Senate Bill 433 is finally passed. The Chair recognizes -- Chair recognizes Senator Uresti for a motion to suspend the regular order of business to take up and consider committee substitute to Senate Bill 271. Senator Ogden, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR OGDEN: For no purpose.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: For no purpose? Senator Uresti, you're recognized.

SENATOR URESTI: Thank you, Mr. President and members. And good morning. Committee substitute to Senate Bill 271 is related to the governance of the board of directors of the Bexar Metropolitan water district. The troubled history of this utility shows this district needs some drastic changes. This bill would assist the board in management in becoming more responsive and accountable to their rate payers by establishing board candidate qualifications, political contribution limits, ethics provisions, board member recall provisions, term limits and continued legislative oversight of the district. With that, Mr. President, members, I move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider committee substitute to Senate Bill 271. On second reading.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: For what purpose?

SENATOR HEGAR: To ask Senator Uresti a question.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Uresti yield?

SENATOR URESTI: I yield to my friend Senator Hegar.

SENATOR HEGAR: Senator, have we heard a similar bill like this before?

SENATOR URESTI: We have, but this is not the bill that you're thinking about, Senator Hegar. That's the dissolution bill which hopefully will be coming to the floor soon.

SENATOR HEGAR: So if we vote to suspend on this bill and the next one that's coming, can you promise us that you will not bring it in the next legislative session again?

SENATOR URESTI: Assuming it passes and the governor signs it, I will promise I will not bring this bill again.

SENATOR HEGAR: Then can I ask for your commitment that you will work as hard as you can to get it passed and signed this cycle so we do not have to hear it again?

SENATOR URESTI: Senator Hegar, with your help and my colleagues, I promise you, I have working hard for six years to get this bill passed -- well, the other bill.

SENATOR HEGAR: More than this, I just want your commitment because I want to make sure that it gets done in six and not eight years.

SENATOR URESTI: Will you work with me, Senator?

SENATOR HEGAR: I'll be happy to if we don't hear it again.

SENATOR URESTI: Thank you, my friend.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator Uresti moves to suspend the regular order of business to take up and consider committee substitute to Senate Bill 271. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and the rule is suspended. Chair lays out on second reading committee substitute to Senate Bill 271. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Committee substitute to Senate Bill 271 relating to the board of directors of the Bexar Metropolitan water direct.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Uresti for a motion.

SENATOR URESTI: Thank you, Mr. President. I move passage to engrossment of the committee substitute to Senate Bill 271.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Uresti. Is there objection from any member? The Chair hear no objection from any member, and a committee substitute to Senate Bill 271 passes to engrossment. The Chair recognizes Senator Uresti for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR URESTI: Mr. President, I move to suspend the constitutional rule requiring that the bills be read on three separate days.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Uresti. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, there being 29 ayes and one nay, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on third reading and final passage committee substitute to Senate Bill 271. The secretary will read the passage.

PATSY SPAW: Committee substitute to Senate Bill 271 relating to the board of directors of Bexar Metropolitan water district.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Uresti for a motion.

SENATOR URESTI: Mr. President, I move final passage of committee substitute Senate Bill 271.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, members. You've heard the motion by Senator Uresti. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, the committee substitute to Senate Bill 271 is finally passed.

SENATOR URESTI: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Hegar.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Ogden. The Chair recognizes Senator Ogden for a motion to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 367.

SENATOR OGDEN: Mr. President and members, all state agencies and institutions of higher education except agencies established by the constitution are required to obtain attorney general review and approval in order to contract for outside legal services. This bill would ensure that the attorney general reviews outside legal counsel invoices so that the state does not pay more for legal services than is justified or permitted by outside counsel contracts and state law. There are a lot of these contracts in the state. In 2008 there was 25.5 million. In 2009 there was million. 2010, 11 and a half million. And the potential exists for honest errors that can cost a taxpayer money. And this is another step in the review process. I move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 367.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Ogden. Members -- Senator Hinojosa, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR HINOJOSA: May I ask Chairman Ogden a question?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Ogden yield to Senator Hinojosa?

SENATOR OGDEN: I yield.

SENATOR HINOJOSA: You know, this issue came up earlier this morning in terms of the attorney general's office asking for -- I guess to be paid for the work they did in reviewing certain documents dealing with CDAs. On your bill, I guess you recall the tobacco settlement case, the tobacco case, a lot of the attorneys actually did that on a contingency fee basis, and I guess in situations where the attorney general's office has to review documents to pay lawyers, we're going to ask them to pay for the hourly rate or set fee or -- and I apologize, I just saw the bill.

SENATOR OGDEN: What this does, the attorney general has to approve the contract and so this is -- after the contract's been executed and the work has been performed, it requires the attorney general to review the invoices to make sure they're consistent with the contract.

SENATOR HINOJOSA: And the question came up from Senator Shapiro, I guess, on issues like this when the attorney general's office does work outside of the money we appropriate, they have the authority to be able to charge an hourly basis or a flat fee basis for the legal work they provide?

SENATOR OGDEN: The attorney general?

SENATOR HINOJOSA: Yes.

SENATOR OGDEN: I don't know. On this bill, they have the authority to levy a fee for the cost of the review.

SENATOR HINOJOSA: And will we have that money available for GR when we appropriate money?

SENATOR OGDEN: Well, in the current bill we did not appropriate money for this bill, so the way we're paying for it is for them to charge a fee to the attorneys that contract with the state to review their invoices to ensure that they're correct.

SENATOR HINOJOSA: Well, I like the bill.

SENATOR OGDEN: Thank you. Thank you.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator -- Senator Ogden moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 367. Is there objection from any member? Hearing no objection from any member, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on second reading Senate Bill 367. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 367 relating to the review by the attorney general of legal invoices relating to legal services provided to state agencies by outside counsel.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Madam Secretary. The Chair recognizes Senator Ogden for a motion.

SENATOR OGDEN: Mr. President, members, I move passage to engrossment of Senate Bill 367.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Ogden. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and Senate Bill 367 passes to engrossment. Chair recognizes Senator Ogden for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR OGDEN: Mr. President, members, I move to suspend the constitutional rule, take up and consider Senate Bill 367.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Ogden. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Ogden. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 29 ayes and one nay, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on third reading and final passage Senate Bill 37. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 367 relating to the review by the attorney general of invoices relating to certain legal services.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Ogden for a motion.

SENATOR OGDEN: Mr. President, members, I move final passage to Senate Bill 367.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Ogden. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Ogden. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, Senate Bill 367 is finally passed. The Chair recognizes Senator Carona for a motion to suspend the regular order of business on Senate Bill 257.

SENATOR CARONA: Mr. President, I do move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business at this time in order to consider Senate Bill 257. Members, we passed this bill yesterday, and it's coming back up again today on final passage.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator Carona moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to cake up and consider Senate Bill 257. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 21 ayes and nine nays, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on third reading and final passage Senate Bill 257. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 257 relating to the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Chair recognizes Senator Carona for a motion.

SENATOR CARONA: Mr. President, I move final passage.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Carona. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, there being 21 ayes and nine nays, Senate Bill 257 is finally passed.

SENATOR CARONA: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, members.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Ellis, are you ready? The Chair recognizes Senator Ellis for a motion to suspends the Senate's regular order of business on committee substitute to Senate Bill 121.

SENATOR ELLIS: Thank you, Mr. President, members. This is the eyewitness identification legislation. The bill seeks to reduce the leading cause of wrongful convictions, mistaken eyewitness identification. 86 percent of Texas is DNA exonerations involving incorrect identification. The bill does four simple things. It requires all law enforcement agencies to adopt written eyewitness identification procedures that contain court requirements to improve the accuracy of eyewitness identification and reduce misidentifications. Requires the Bill Blackwood law enforcement management (inaudible) Sam Houston to develop a model policy and training materials and consultation with law enforcement agency associations, and scientific experts. No. 3, eyewitness ID evidence is subject to the Texas Rules of Evidence, evidence of compliance with the model policy, a policy adopted under the law is not a condition precedent to admissibility of an eyewitness identification. It is up to the judge. Fourth, the Texas statutory exclusionary rule specifically does not apply. This bill is a result of a consensus with judges, police officers, the chief justice of the Supreme Court and just about every stakeholder that you could find who had an opinion on the subject. My colleague on the criminal justice committee, Senator Huffman, made a good bill and an even better rule to make sure that the exclusionary rule does not apply. And with that, I would move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider the committee substitute to Senate Bill 121.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Ellis. Members, Senator Ellis moves to surgical assistance -- excuse me, Senator Huffman for what purpose do you rise?

SENATOR HUFFMAN: To question Senator Ellis, please?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Ellis yield?

SENATOR ELLIS: Yes.

SENATOR HUFFMAN: Senator Ellis, I've enjoyed working with you on this bill. I just wanted to reiterate, just so we make our legislative intent very clear on this bill, and I commend you for the work you've done to improve eyewitness identification in Texas and the work that I know many stakeholders put into this. I just think that it's important that we make sure that we understand that once the procedures are followed or not followed, and we're in a courtroom setting, that it is clear to the judges in Texas that they are to follow all the Rules of Evidence when determining the admissibility of procedures whether they were followed or weren't followed. So all the laws and all the legal precedents that relate to, for example, expert testimony, hearsay and so forth, all of those rules are to be followed before evidence of the procedures are to be entered into evidence. Is that your understanding of what we're doing?

SENATOR ELLIS: That is my understanding, and your amendment which is rolled into the committee substitute makes it very clear. I know I had initial reaction to it which was not positive, but the advocates told me it makes sense that we apply the same rule here by giving the judge that discretion that we would apply in other areas.

SENATOR HUFFMAN: So, hypothetically, if we had a jury who received evidence and even if they believed that perhaps all the rules weren't followed but they believed beyond a reasonable doubt the identification of the defendant, they could use that evidence to convict the defendant; is that correct?

SENATOR ELLIS: Yes. That pleases the court, judge, and I agree.

SENATOR HUFFMAN: All right. I just wanted to clear that up completely. Thank you. Thank you very much for your work, Senator Ellis.

SENATOR ELLIS: And thank you for your work, your Honor.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Huffman. Members, Senator Ellis moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider committee substitute to Senate Bill 121. Is there objection from any member? Hearing no objection from any member, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on second reading committee substitute to Senate Bill 121. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Committee substitute to Senate Bill 121 relating to photograph and live lineup identification procedures in criminal cases.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Ellis for a motion.

SENATOR ELLIS: Mr. President, I move passage to engrossment.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Ellis. Members, is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and the committee substitute to Senate Bill 121 passes to engrossment. The Chair recognizes Senator Ellis for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR ELLIS: Mr. President, I move to suspend the constitutional rule that says that bills be read on three separate days.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Ellis. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Ellis. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 29 ayes and one nay, the rule is suspended. Chair lays out on third reading and final passage the committee substitute to Senate Bill 121. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Committee substitute to Senate Bill 121 relating to photograph and live lineup identification procedures in criminal cases.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Ellis for a motion.

SENATOR ELLIS: Thank you, Mr. President. In honor of Tim Cole, I move final passage.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Ellis. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, a committee substitute to Senate Bill 121 is finally passed. Congratulations.

SENATOR ELLIS: Thank you.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Hegar. Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 580.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President, members. Senate Bill 580 amends the Lavaca Navidad Authority which is solely within Senate District 18. Enabling legislation allows them the ability to adopt an economic development program, participate and partner with local governmental entities and nonprofits and community development economic development projects. And I would move to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 580.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Hegar. Senator Hegar moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 580. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and the rule is suspended. Chair lays out on second reading Senate Bill 580. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 580 relating to community assistance and economic development program activities of the Lavaca Navidad River Authority.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President. Move passage to engrossment Senate Bill 580.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and Senate Bill 580 passes to engrossment. Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR HEGAR: So moved to suspend the three day rule.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Hegar. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, there being 29 ayes and one nay. The rule is suspended. Chair lays out on third reading and final passage Senate Bill 580. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 580 relating to the community assistance and economic development program activities of the Lavaca Navidad River Authority.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Madam Secretary. The Chair recognizes Senator Hegar for a motion.

SENATOR HEGAR: Thank you, Mr. President, move final passage of Senate Bill 580.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator. Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Hegar. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, Senate Bill 580 is finally passed. Senator Rodriguez, please pay attention to the next. The Chair recognizes Senator Birdwell for a motion to suspend the regular order of business on Senate Bill 514.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Mr. President, members, Senate Bill 514 would change chapter 135 of the Texas education code related to Texas State Technical College. Specifically the bill repeals the first subsection C within section 35 of the education code. This subsection requires the governor's approval for the acquisition or purchase of land or facilities for Texas State Technical College in the following four counties. Cameron, Potter, Harrison, and Noland Counties. This repeal would eliminate the unnecessary step of securing approval from the governor's office for acquisition on behalf of TSTC Marshal, TSTC West Texas, TSTC Harlingen and TSTC does not have a campus or extension center in Potter County anymore. Mr. President, I move suspension.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Uresti, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR URESTI: Mr. President, will the gentleman yield?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I will be honored to yield to my fellow comrade in arms, Senator Uresti.

SENATOR URESTI: That's not going to work, Senator Birdwell.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: How about if I call you Captain and I go by Colonel?

SENATOR URESTI: You know, captain in the Marine Corp outranks a colonel in the Army.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Oh, no, wait a minute now. Wait a minute. It's getting personal.

SENATOR URESTI: Senator Birdwell, I just have a couple of questions about your bill. I noticed that you didn't poll many of the members on the Senate floor this morning, did you?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I polled all the members minus Senator Davis in her absence. She was the only member I could not poll.

SENATOR URESTI: Besides Senator Davis, did you poll the other members on the Floor?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir, I did.

SENATOR URESTI: What were the results of that poll?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I had one no, one absent, and the remainder of the Senate yes.

SENATOR URESTI: The Dean doesn't agree with you, but who was the "no," Senator Birdwell?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: The Augusta Senator from Travis County, Senator Watson.

SENATOR URESTI: Well, he's not on the floor. I'm sure we'll give him some time to get out here. I think we're going to call for a verification in a few minutes, but I just have one more question for you. I noticed you left out several counties other than your four. Are you trying to single out your particular counties? Are they more important than others?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, sir, I'm not singling out counties. These are the four counties that for whatever reason, they were historically chosen to be required to require the governor's signature vice other counties that were not, nor was other higher institutions of learning required to receive governor approval. Simply the coordinating board's approval. And TSTC is being brought up to the same level of that the other institutions of higher learning are being brought up to. So there's not a -- these are the four counties that have been adversely impacted rather than we're favoring them.

SENATOR URESTI: You could have just said no. Thank you, Senator Birdwell.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you, Senator Uresti.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Nelson, for what purpose do you rise?

SENATOR NELSON: I would like to ask some questions of the author of this bill, please.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, Mr. President. I will yield to my Augusta colleague from up north of the Metroplex.

SENATOR NELSON: Senator Birdwell, you polled all of us on this bill?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am, I did.

SENATOR NELSON: But you didn't poll Senator Davis?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I attempted to poll Senator Davis, and in her absence, due to the challenges associated with her funeral.

SENATOR NELSON: Have you discussed this bill with my sister in the Senate before you brought it to the floor of the Senate?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: She's the only one I did not poll.

SENATOR NELSON: You didn't discuss the bill with Senator Davis. Senator, when you brought your green sheet to me to ask for my vote, did you fully inform me about the contents of this bill?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am, I did.

SENATOR NELSON: Did you tell me it was your first bill?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am, I did.

SENATOR NELSON: You did?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am, I did.

SENATOR NELSON: Senator, when you described this bill to me, you talked about the four locations of the Texas State Technical College, four, correct?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: There are four that are affected. Four counties, but not four locations of the TSTC.

SENATOR NELSON: How many locations does TSTC have?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: They have a number, but the ones here -- there's four counties but one county does not have a TSTC.

SENATOR NELSON: They have a number but how many?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: There is TSTC West Texas, which has four satellite campuses; TSTC McClenon or Waco which is the headquarters, which is why I'm carrying the bill; TSTC Harlingen and TSTC Cameron or Cameron County which is Harlingen. Then Marshal.

SENATOR NELSON: Okay. Have you visited all of those campuses, Senator?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am. As a matter of fact, Senator Lucio, Senator Eltife and Senator Duncan are coauthors because it covers their particular counties. Yes, ma'am.

SENATOR NELSON: Now, you visited the campus down in the valley. My company actually hires some of our best employers from that campus, are you familiar with all of the training procedures that go on at that campus?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Not in the Harlingen campus.

SENATOR NELSON: You're not?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I have --

SENATOR NELSON: But you brought this bill before the Texas Senate today not being totally familiar with all of the programs of the Harlingen, Texas?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Training -- and what they do is not germane to the bill, ma'am.

SENATOR NELSON: But it's important that you know what they do at all times.

SENATOR WEST: Inquire. Mr. President, parliamentary inquire.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: State your inquiry.

SENATOR WEST: Mr. President, my parliamentary inquiry is whether or not this bill was properly placed on the intent calendar, and so we need to know whether or not it's supposed to be before the body of this point in time. And Senator Birdwell needs to let us know whether it was properly placed on the intent calendar.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, Senator West or -- I'm sorry, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: I'm advised by Senator Birdwell that it was properly placed on the intent calendar, Senator West.

SENATOR WEST: Mr. President, he hasn't advised us yet, but can he describe to us exactly how he placed it on it? Was it properly signed? Was it properly sent? And was it properly received? We need to know those things.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: I'm going to recognize Senator Birdwell to address those.

SENATOR WEST: In his explanation I need to know how he verified that all those things were done.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you, Mr. President. The answer is yes, and because I have an exceptional chief of staff and legislative director and an exceptional team we got it done, got it done right and we are a go at this station.

SENATOR WEST: How do we know that it was done right?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Because the integrity of this, Senator, should not be challenged, because we did it right.

SENATOR WEST: I would never challenge the integrity of a Senator that's ex military with a gun. I'd never do that at all. But, again, how do we know that it was properly signed by the committee, properly received by the secretary and properly placed on the agenda?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: In the hearing, this bill received a hearing in the higher education committee.

SENATOR WEST: When was that done?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: That was done almost -- well, it was two weeks ago --

SENATOR WEST: You can't be more specific than that?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir, it was two weeks ago.

SENATOR WEST: Two weeks ago today?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir.

SENATOR WEST: Well, the higher education two weeks ago today, are you certain about that?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir.

SENATOR WEST: Are you certain about that as the rest of everything else you're saying?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Because you asked me a question and you got that look that you were desiring to get from me and -- but yet, you voted the bill out of committee and it was 7 ayes, no nays when we voted it out two weeks ago, and it was placed on the intent calendar.

SENATOR WEST: There were 7 ayes and no nays, I thought one person voted against the bill.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes. Well, two actually.

SENATOR WEST: You were mistaken about that?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, sir. Two actually voted against it but retracted their votes gave me ayes, gave me 7 ayes. So the bill passed unanimously out of the committee.

SENATOR WEST: I thought your previous testimony was that one person actually voted against the bill. Wasn't that Senator Watson?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Senator Watson gave me a no as I was polling members on bringing the bill to the floor. He gave me a yes in committee, but he gave me a no bringing it to the floor.

SENATOR WEST: Okay. But again, I'm going to withdraw my parliamentary inquiry today, but I believe that it's a good parliamentary inquiry. But for the sake of this body and not to prolong the debate concerning this issue this morning, I withdraw the parliamentary inquiry.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: That is extremely gracious of you, Senator West. Extremely gracious. Chair recognizes Senator Nelson.

SENATOR NELSON: Well, thank you. And Senator West, thank you for your questions. I'm really concerned if a freshman doesn't know every single word on every single page of our Senate rules, and I'm standing here wondering if we shouldn't get into some of the Senate rules. But we have important business to take care of. So, Mr. President, I'm through with my questions of the author.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Nelson. Senator Lucio, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATE LUCIO: Will the gentleman yield?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I would be more than privileged to yield to my coauthor.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Are you paying attention, Senator Rodriguez?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I would be more than privileged to yield to my coauthor colleague, Senator Lucio.

SENATE LUCIO: Senator, you know, you came down in the valley. And now, I -- I'm kind of wondering why you came down to the valley, maybe to run a little reconnaissance on my school down there. And now after listening to you, you know, introduce the bill, I'm not sure if you misrepresented your bill when you came up to me the first time, you know, demanding that I sign on. You know, you were in the military, weren't you? You're an American hero. You can't just boss people around on this Senate floor. You know, like you think you might be able to. Senator Ogden does that once in a while, so -- he's a military guy like you. I just want to -- I want to make sure that this bill -- you know, that relates to my TSTC campus, that in no way has underlying effects where you take money from me. We have limited money in this budget. Understand that? And, you know, it's a courtesy not to mess with another member's district. So I'm going to keep a close eye on this as it travels through the House. If it gets out of here today, which I seriously doubt after the concerns I've heard. You're not trying to take away my technical college in any way? I want to make sure here. I want you to tell me publicly that that's not true.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I am not. I will publicly look you in the eye and tell you we are removing barriers from your college being able to expand or acquire property as needed to benefit the constituents of your illustrious district.

SENATE LUCIO: You know, you intend to be fair, right, in your service to the state of Texas including my district, correct?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir.

SENATE LUCIO: Well, I think you've been refined by fire and I certainly hope you continue to be refined as you work with the members of this Senate floor because there are men and women who really care about your great state. Thank you very much.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you, Senator Lucio.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Lucio. Members of the gallery and for those watching around the world on the internet, this is the first bill that Senator Birdwell has presented. So have a little patience with us. Senator Patrick, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR PATRICK: I have a couple questions of the author.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, Mr. President.

SENATOR PATRICK: Senator Birdwell, I signed the green card but after this -- the answers to these questions, I think we're now at the point where you may have to convince me or persuade me to not consider not voting for this. How do you respond to that?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I will put that -- put that note in my brain.

SENATOR PATRICK: So are you willing to convince me to not vote for it still.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I think this is an exceptional bill and I would be honored to have your support and I think it deserves your support.

SENATOR PATRICK: Serious question on this, because this is a serious bill and it does impact people.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir.

SENATOR PATRICK: In line No. 3 it says here "delete the second subsection," you have nothing in your notes about the first subsection. Is it true in the first subsection that the party of the first part is not required to perform as required under this bill if not aligned with the party of the second part?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No. The first part says "the board" meaning the higher education --

SENATOR PATRICK: That the party of the first part?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, there's no party -- the language you're quoting isn't in the bill.

SENATOR PATRICK: Is in the first subsection.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: But the language you're quoting when it talks about party, the first party, the second is not in the bill.

SENATOR PATRICK: Is not in the bill.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Correct.

SENATOR PATRICK: Should it be, it's not needed?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No. What I'm saying is, I'm going to quote you the actual term, the language if you wish.

SENATOR PATRICK: All right. Please do that.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It says, "The board may acquire a purchase in the name of the state of Texas land and facilities in Cameron County, Potter County, Harrison County and Noland County subject to the approval of the governor." The second subsection says, "The board may accept (inaudible) by purchase," meaning the higher education coordinating board, "purchase in the name of the state, land and facilities in any of the counties in which a campus or extension center is located applying to all various institutions of higher education." So what we're doing is we're removing the first subsection. We are removing --

SENATOR PATRICK: So there is no subsection?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, there is a second -- there's --

SENATOR PATRICK: Subsection but no first subsection.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: There are -- these two subsections are both labeled C which gives us reason to believe there's a clerical or administrative error and now, we have --

SENATOR PATRICK: So you have two letter Cs.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Two letter Cs. And one of those letter C requires four counties to have a higher threshold of approval than the remainder of the great state of Texas when it comes to educational institutions acquiring additional land. What we're doing is removing those barriers to both Potter, Noland, Harrison and Cameron counties and that's what we're doing.

SENATOR PATRICK: I'm still very confused on what you're doing. I think you're confused on what you're doing and, you know, upon further testimony and questions and answers here, I'll let you come to my desk and see if you can persuade me and convince me not to consider not voting for this bill, even though I signed the green card.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I will be happy to come to your desk and personally persuade you, Senator.

SENATOR PATRICK: All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Shapiro, for what purpose do you rise, ma'am?

SENATOR SHAPIRO: To ask the author a question.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, Mr. President, I will be honored to yield to my neighbor to the north.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Senator Birdwell, I have some very serious questions.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Not unlike some of my colleagues. The first thing I'd like to know is what exactly is a Texas State Technical College?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It is the college of higher education and technical aptitudes throughout the state. There are campuses in west Texas.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: What do they do?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: They teach in wide varieties of technical disciplines, everything from auto mechanics and, frankly, there's some disciplines that sound exceedingly difficult, but the names are so long that they're difficult to repeat.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Too difficult for you to understand?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, ma'am.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: No, not too difficult to understand. One of the things that your bill says here is that you will -- does this have a fiscal note?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, ma'am.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: No fiscal note. It says on this that you have -- you were going to be able to purchase land and facilities in Cameron, Potter, Harrison and Noland County. Why wouldn't this have a fiscal note?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It is not requiring the purchase of land, it is removing the requirement of the governor approving the purchase should, whether there's -- whether it's a tuition revenue bond or some other mechanism of funding should those campuses decide to expand facilities.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Why don't they do that now?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: That's up to them. That's their discretion. I'm simply removing a barrier that they have that other higher education systems do not have.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: But this is a technical college, it's not a higher institution, it's a college.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It is very much a institute of higher education. Yes, ma'am. I will be more than happy to go to the back in a ring with you about what TSTC does.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: I actually -- well, you don't have to do that. You need to explain it on the Floor. That's the whole point of being a Senator.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: So you need to explain to me why this is considered a college. You just told me that they do trade. Why is this considered a college?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: They do everything from a number of different things associated with electronics, engineering, robotics --

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Do they get a degree when they complete it?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am, absolutely.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Good, good, good. Now, you're getting the swing of things. They get a degree, and they use that degree to do what?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am. I may be an old soldier and sometimes I'm hard headed but I'll --

SENATOR SHAPIRO: A little slow. That's okay.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: -- follow your lead, ma'am.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: That's okay. So they get a degree and what do they do with this degree?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: They go make lots of money and pay taxes like us.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: So it's a really valuable place for our young people to go.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: In all seriousness, yes, ma'am. There's a number of -- I got to speak at their December graduation of the Waco County campus and a number of their students are, immediately upon graduation, moving into very high paying trade skills.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Are you aware of many of the students across this state of Texas who are involved right now with a for profit universities who do the same thing and charge their students about 23 to $25,000 for a degree? Have you heard about that?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, ma'am, I have not.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: I'm hoping to bring that to the Floor soon because there is a group of citizens in this state of Texas that are very unhappy about the profit -- "for profit" universities that are claiming that they will give students a degree, not like our Texas State Technical College which does and fulfills their task and does have jobs. In fact, someone told me the other day that some plumbers were making $85 an hour, and so obviously a degree from TSTC is a very valuable, valuable -- TSTC is a very valuable document. There's one other question that I have that I think is a little concerning to me, and when the analyst wrote about your bill, they said that this is a cleanup bill. What does that mean?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It's part of what we believe to be an administrative error, why there's two paragraph Cs in that subsection in paragraph 135. And so we're just simply cleaning it up to make sure that for whatever reasons in past legislative sessions that the four counties that were being required --

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Are you saying that someone made a mistake?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Ma'am, I'm not trying to say somebody made a mistake. I'm just trying to say --

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Do you know who it was that made a mistake?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, ma'am, I do not.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Okay. So "cleanup" means we're just cleaning up someone else's mistake; is that right?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, ma'am. We are making sure that those four counties that have TSTC campuses and, in fact, Potter County does not have one, it used to. But in '95 it closed. But those four counties are no longer required to meet the threshold that other counties are not.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: And how is that cleaning up?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Because for whatever reason in previous legislative sessions --

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Somebody messed up.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Pieces -- yes, ma'am.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Okay. Senator Birdwell, I -- what are we cleaning up -- I just wanted you to know that you did come to me and ask me if I would support you on this and you were very gracious and very kind. If I'd known it was a cleanup bill, I might not have signed on, but now that you've explained it to me, someone else messed here, you're here to fix what someone else did, I'll vote for your bill. Thank you.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you, Senator Shapiro. I appreciate it.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Seliger, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR SELIGER: Some questions of the author, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Well, I think that's about time. Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, Mr. President. I will yield.

SENATOR SELIGER: Senator Birdwell, in the notes that you prepared about this, you talk about removing subsections that are redundant and archaic from the education code. Specifically can you tell us, since redundant will indicate that there are things here that are repetitive or duplicative in other areas of the education code, would you tell us what parts of the education code are repetitive with your bill?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It's just -- my bill's not repetitive, it's just simply you've got two subsections Cs and for whatever reason, the pagination has duplication of section C.

SENATOR SELIGER: And so the substance of the bill is not redundant, it is simply the sections in which they occur.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir.

SENATOR SELIGER: And so these are not really redundant parts of the code.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: The pagination tells us they are, for whatever reason, redundant but the content on the counties is what we're correcting, one of which is, as you know, yours.

SENATOR SELIGER: Why, please tell us, is this archaic. Do you know what year this was written into the code?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: There were portions originally written in '91, others after that. But various pieces of the -- its been a period of time of various time.

SENATOR SELIGER: If something in the education code is archaic and was offered in 1991, how would you describe Senator Whitmire?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: As the Dean of the Senate is how I would describe Senator Whitmire.

SENATOR SELIGER: Exactly what this does, this removes the optional authority of the governor to approve what?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: It simply removes the requirement of getting the governor's approval beyond the higher education coordinating board as other colleges have to simply get the education board's approval without having to go to the governor.

SENATOR SELIGER: And why is it you find the governor of Texas inadequate to perform this function?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Oh, he's fully adequate. But we have the governor's support in bringing this bill forward.

SENATOR SELIGER: And was that presented in your notes and things, have we received any sort of notification from the governor that he does support this action?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir. In speaking with his representatives, his legislative representatives.

SENATOR SELIGER: But no documentary evidence. And so we're to take you at your word that the governor supports this bill.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir, you're to take me at my word that the governor supports this bill.

SENATOR SELIGER: Did I sign on to that green card for this bill?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir, you did.

SENATOR SELIGER: I think it's important the way you address the questions for the time being, would you mind removing my name from the card.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I will respect the wishes of my fellow colleague, and I will remove your name from the green card.

SENATOR SELIGER: Thank you, Senator Birdwell. Thank you, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Deuell, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR DEUELL: I need to ask the author a couple of questions.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Will Senator Birdwell yield?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, Mr. President, I'll yield to my distinguished colleague who also happens to be a great doctor.

SENATOR DEUELL: Well, Senator Birdwell, this is your first bill, do you really want your first bill to be a bill that takes power away from the governor? Have you discussed this with the governor, whether he could veto?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: The governor is quite happy with this, yes, sir.

SENATOR DEUELL: Well, he told you that personally that he --

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Through his representatives, yes, sir.

SENATOR DEUELL: He doesn't mind losing this kind of power?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Doesn't mind at all.

SENATOR DEUELL: Okay. Well, I just want to make sure we don't go through all this and then have him veto it and waste all -- you don't think you're wasting your time. He's assured you that he will sign the bill if you can get it through?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, sir, I can assure what you're doing here is not wasting my time. So.

SENATOR DEUELL: All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Whitmire, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

SENATOR WHITMIRE: I'd like to -- first I'd like to make a parliamentary inquiry. Is Senator Birdwell's motion a debatable matter?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Well, under our rules and -- I would say no, but today it is.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Okay. Senator Birdwell, if you're not familiar with our rules, which you are, any one of your so-called friends out here could have already raised a point of order and you wouldn't have to go through this process. So you can thank all 30 of your friends. First of all -- or second of all, before I talk about your bill, let me suggest to you. Do you have a list of members that you would normally work the Floor, and they'll give you a commitment or lack of?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Yes, sir.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: And I assume you did this yesterday.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: And the day before, yes, sir.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Okay. Well, if you have not learned anything else in this experience, let me suggest to you, in this body, in 2011 you need to do it every day. When I came to the Senate 28 years ago, you could work the Floor, and if you weren't recognized that day, you could put it in your desk, six weeks later you could pull it out and it would still be accurate. Today let me suggest to you you need to do it daily. So remember that.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Sounds like excellent advice, Dean.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Two -- or three, you asked me earlier why did they move your bill to the last to be recognized.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: I don't recall.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Well, you did.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No. I mentioned that, you know, they're going to make it last.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Thirty minutes ago, you said, They put me last and I said, Well, that's because in case someone filibusters. Well, let me just suggest to you, it's me. And have you been here long enough if I ask Rick to come get my mat, what that means?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, sir.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Well, you don't have any reason to know. Well, if Rick comes and gets my mat, that means I'm going to talk for a long period of time. So going -- in the next six weeks if you see someone's mat being taken off, it means your bills, you're going to have to spend more time on it. I can't imagine what people on the internet think we're doing right at this moment, but it serves its purpose, Senator Birdwell, because the next time you get on the Senate Floor, you're going to be much more comfortable. No stage fright, and so it really serves a useful purpose. I can't count on one hand the number of times I've done this. I was more concerned about the decorum of the Senate, but this has been done in such a respectful fashion and having read your book, I knew you could take whatever they dished out. So let me just welcome you to the Senate, you've done a great job, you're a great Senator and you'll be a better Senator because your colleagues messed with you today. Okay?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you Dean. Thank you, Senator.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: No other questions. For a recess, would you like a little recess to go ahead and poll the members today? Sound like to me your poll of yesterday is a little archaic.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: No, sir. No, sir.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator Birdwell moves to suspend the Senate's regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 514. Is there objection from any --

SENATOR WEST: Parliamentary inquiry.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: State your inquiry, Senator West.

SENATOR WEST: Mr. President, again, I want to go back to this intent calendar. That's all right. I'll withdraw my parliamentary inquiry.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry. Do members --

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: State your inquiry.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Probably before most members got here. Ken Hance was a Senator, now the chancellor of Texas Tech, and he lost a bill so bad, Senator Duncan, like I mean, he was the only one that ended up voting for his own bill. And it became known around here that you got the Ken Hance award. I think we can now, I'm just sensing it, going forward in this body, going to have the Birdwell Award based on every impression I'm getting on how we're fixing to vote. So you may, you know, come to part of the operations around here. Maybe we need to get a little medal or something and pass it around for whoever loses their bill by the largest margin and it be the Birdwell medal.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, there being 14 ayes and 16 nays, the bill fails.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Whitmire, for what purpose?

SENATOR WHITMIRE: I would like to reconsider my vote on the Birdwell Senate Bill 514. I was on the prevailing side, and I think he knows now to poll the Floor every day.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Whitmire, a motion to reconsider your vote is not in order on a motion to suspend the rule.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Oh, really?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: However --

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Are you still messing with him or is that? Have we gone back to reality yet?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The rules are the rules.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: I always believed if you got the gavel, you can do about whatever you want to.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: I've tried that before, it doesn't work.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Could I -- what's it take to suspend all necessary rules to take up and consider?

SENATOR ELLIS: Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Ellis.

SENATOR ELLIS: Mr. President, my desk is clear.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Could we suspend all the Senate rules to bring this bill back up?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Harris, for what purpose do you rise?

SENATOR HARRIS: Mr. President, I'd like to make a motion that there be no further consideration on this bill until this coming Monday at 2:00 o'clock, Mr. President.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: No, that's too long.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: I was just going to recognize him to bring the bill back up again.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: This is a legislative package, man.

SENATOR HARRIS: Mr. President, this gives him an opportunity to get organized.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Do you still wish to make a motion?

SENATOR HARRIS: Yes.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members --

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Could I speak against Harris' motion?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator Harris moves to make Senate Bill 361 a special order for next Monday at 2:00 o'clock, Senate Bill 514.

SENATOR WHITMIRE: Could I come down front?

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Senator Whitmire, for what purpose to you rise?

SENATOR WHITMIRE: I'm very serious now. I think we need to get this bill back up and pass it today because there might not be people understand the process that we're --

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: I understand that, and so I think the way to do that is to vote against the motion by Senator Harris.

SENATOR HARRIS: Mr. President, I withdraw my motion.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Harris. The Chair -- the Chair recognizes -- let's start all over again. The Chair recognizes Senator Birdwell for a motion to suspend the regular order of business to take up and consider Senate Bill 514.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: So moved, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Birdwell. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection, and the rule is suspended. Chair lays out on second reading Senate Bill 514. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 514 relating to the acquisition of land and facilities by the Texas State Technical College System.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Birdwell for a motion.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Mr. President, I move passage of bill No. SB514 to engrossment.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Birdwell. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection from any member, and Senate Bill 514 passes to engrossment. Chair recognizes Senator Birdwell for a motion to suspend the constitutional rule -- I'm having a hard time -- the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you, Mr. President. And I move to suspend the constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days so we can consider SB514.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Are you sure?

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Absolutely, Mr. President. Yes, sir.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Birdwell. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 21 ayes and one nay, the rule is suspended. The Chair lays out on third reading and final passage Senate Bill 514. The secretary will read the caption.

PATSY SPAW: Senate Bill 514 relating to acquisition of land and facilities by the Texas State Technical College System.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Birdwell for a motion.

SENATOR BIRDWELL: Thank you, Mr. President. I move final passage of SB514.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, you've heard the motion by Senator Birdwell. The secretary will call the roll.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: There being 30 ayes and no nays, Senate Bill 514 is finally passed. Members, we're still waiting on -- and we got one more bill to go. Senator Zaffirini, for what purpose?

SENATOR ZAFFIRINI: For an introduction, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: You're recognized. The last bill that I was going to bring up today, actually the author is going to bring it up tomorrow. So -- members, the president's desk is clear.

SENATOR ZAFFIRINI: Mr. President, for an introduction.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: You're recognized.

SENATOR ZAFFIRINI: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President and members, it is my pleasure to make two introductions to you. First to my immediate left, if you will rise, it's my pleasure to introduce one of today's Senate pages, a student from Northeast Bexar County in my district. She is a 7th grader at Jensen Medical School in Converse. Please join me in welcoming this delightful young lady who is as lovely as she is charming. Mallory Johnson. Thank you for your service to the Texas Senate. Also, Mr. President and members, in the north gallery, and I asked them to please rise and be recognized, is a very special group of my constituents. They are here to testify before Senator Van de Putte's committee today. John McCowin, (inaudible) Sanchez and (inaudible). They are they are Webb County Korea veterans, and they are here to watch us in action. It is my pleasure to ask you to join me in thanking them for their service and their leadership and courage and welcoming them to the Texas Senate. Thank you for being with us.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Zaffirini. And to our three fine veterans in the gallery. That was just good natured kidding, and I thought that our Senator who was a former colonel in the United States Army did a good job. He acquitted himself very well. Chair recognizes Senator Shapiro for an announcement.

SENATOR SHAPIRO: Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. The Senate finance subcommittee on public education funding will meet at 1:15 upon -- in room E1036, E1036, 1:15. Thank you.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The Chair recognizes Senator Van de Putte for an announcement.

SENATOR VAN DE PUTTE: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President and members, the Senate committee on veteran affairs and military installations will meet at 1:30 in the Betty King Room. That's 1:30 in the Betty King Room. Thank you, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator. The Chair recognizes Senator Eltife for an announcement.

SENATOR ELTIFE: Thank you, Mr. President, members. I'm giving notice that the local and uncontested calendar session will be held tomorrow, March 17th at 8:30 a.m. A copy of the calendar has been furnished to each of you. The bills and resolutions will be considered on second and third reading in the order listed. I also move to suspend Senate rule 11.13 so that the committees can meet tomorrow morning during the local and uncontested calendar session.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: The -- members, Senator Eltife moves to suspend rule 11.13 so the committees can meet during -- so the committees can meet during the reading and referral of bills and during the local and uncontested calendar. Is there objection from any member? Chair hears no objection, and the motion is adopted.

SENATOR ELTIFE: Thank you, Mr. President.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Senator Eltife. Are there any additional announcements? Senator Wentworth, for what purpose do you rise?

SENATOR WENTWORTH: Mr. President, I request that we adjourn today in the memory of a very special person, Ignacia Nachita (inaudible) Hopkins, who passed away on March 5th. She's Senator Zaffirini's aunt and is being buried at the Fort Sam Houston cemetery in San Antonio today.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Members, Senator Watson, I'm going to ask that everyone take their seat for a moment out of respect. There being no additional announcements. The Chair recognizes the Dean of the Senate for a highly privileged motion.

DEAN OF THE SENATE: Thank you, Mr. President, members. Pending the reading and referral of bills, I move that the Senate recess until 8:30 a.m. tomorrow so that we may consider a local and uncontested calendar. At the conclusion of the local calendar, Senate will adjourn until 10:00 a.m. Thursday March 17th in memory of Ignacia Nachita Mogies Czar Hopkins and Danny Keith Gunn. I so move.

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST: Thank you, Dean. Members, you've heard the motion by the Dean. Is there any objection from any member? Chair hears no objection, and the Senate will stand adjourned until tomorrow in memory of David (sic) Gunn and Ignacia Nachita Czar Hopkins.

PATSY SPAW: SR25 by Hinojosa and Van de Putte. Expressing continued support for a construction of a monument on the Capitol recognizing Texans who served in the Vietnam War. To Administration. SCR26 by Lucio. Urging Congress to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are adequate for the purchase of a healthy diet. To Health and Human Services. SCR27 by Wentworth. Granting Dr. Angel W. Lee permission to sue the State of Texas and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. To Jurisprudence. SCR30 by Eltife. Authorizing the lieutenant governor and speaker to appoint interim joint committees. To Administration. SCR31 by Carona. Authorizing the state preservation board to approve and permit the construction of a monument on the Capitol grounds to honor those Texan service members who fought and died in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. To Administration. SCR32 by Seliger expressing opposition to federal regulation of intrastate water resources. To Natural Resources. SCR33 by Lucio. Urging Congress to consider removal of the border wall in places where the border is already adequately guarded. To Transportation Homeland Security. SJR3 by Fraser. Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of general obligations bonds by the Texas Water Developmental Board. To Finance. SJR31 by Wentworth. Proposing a constitutional amendment revising the order of legislative business to permit either House to act on bills and resolutions after the first 30 days of a regular session. To Administration. SJR32 by Rodriguez. Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation of property owned by the surviving spouse or surviving minor children of a member of the armed forces of the United States who died while on active duty. To Finance. SJR33 by Hinojosa, Wentworth and Rodriguez. Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a state video lottery system to operate video lottery games at certain horse and greyhound racetracks and providing that federally recognized Indian tribes are not prohibited from conducting games of chance on certain Indian lands. To State Affairs. SJR34 by Ellis and Lucio. Proposing a constitutional amendment creating the Texas Gaming Commission and authorizing and regulating casino games and slot machines by licensed operators and certain Indian tribes to provide money for the property tax relief fund and additional financial aid for higher education students. To State Affairs. SJR35 by Van de Putte. Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to legalize the operation of video gaming in this state by persons and organizations licensed to conduct bingo or lease bingo premises and providing that federally recognized Indian tribes are not prohibited from conducting gaming on certain Indian lands. To State Affairs. SJR36 by Patrick. Proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the usage of revenue of motor vehicle registration fees. To Finance -- the wrong caption on that -- proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation by school districts for maintenance and operations purposes. To Finance. SJR38 by Davis. Proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the uses of revenue for motor vehicle registration fees. To Finance. Senate Bill 656 by Huffman and Hegar. Relating to the abolition of the Coastal Coordination Council and the transfer of its functions to the General Land Office. To Governmental Org. Senate Bill 657 by Huffman and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 658 by Huffman and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the division of workers' compensation of the Texas Department of Insurance. To Governmental Organization. Senate Bill 659 by Hinojosa and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Racing Commission. To government organizations. Senate Bill 660 by Hinojosa and Hegar. Relating to the review and functions of the Texas Water Development Board. To Governmental Organizations. Senate Bill 661 by Nichols and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. To Governmental Organization. Senate Bill 662 by Nichols and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of state board examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and audiology. To Governmental Organization. Senate Bill 663 by Nichols and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the State Committee of Examiners in the Fitting and Dispensing of Hearing Instruments. To Governmental Organization. Senate Bill 664 by Nichols and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the Department of Information Resources. To Governmental Organization. Senate Bill 665 by Hinojosa and Hegar. Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. To Government Organization. Senate Bill 666 by Hinojosa. Relating to identification requirements for certain fire hydrants and flush valves. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1001 by Carona. Relating to discrimination and restraint of trade against certain persons regulated under Occupations Code. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1002 by Van de Putte. Relating to the designation of program costs for providing bill payment assistance to certain military veterans. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1003 by Fraser. Relating to penalties for, and emergency orders suspending, the operation of a rock crusher or certain concrete plants. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1004 by Lucio. Relating to the imposition of a tax on certain beverages. To Finance. Senate Bill 1005 by Van de Putte. Relating to fair treatment of all providers of instructional materials to students enrolled at public institutions of higher education. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1006 by Lucio and Ellis. Relating to unemployment compensation modernization. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1007. By Williams, et al. Relating to certain comprehensive development agreements of the Texas Department of Transportation. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1008 by Carona. Relating to the composition of the Finance Commission of Texas. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1009 by Huffman. Relating to requiring public institutions of higher education to notify the federal student exchange and visitor information system regarding the withdrawal or nonattendance of certain foreign students. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1010 by Huffman. Relating to providing a victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim with notice of a plea bargain agreement in certain cases. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1011 by Huffman. Relating to the exclusion of certain witnesses during a criminal proceeding. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1012 by Huffman. Relating to the payment of certain costs and expenses of a juvenile case manager. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1013 by Davis. Relating to the contents of the sex offender registration form. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1014 by Davis. Relating to time of day which prisoners may be discharged or released from County jail. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1015 by Davis. Relating to reporting on the operation and status of veterans homes operated in this state. To Veteran Affairs and Military Installation. Senate Bill 1016 by Davis. Relating to the use of a checklist during the investigation of abuse or neglect at nursing homes and related institutions. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1017 by Davis, et al. Relating to certain comprehensive development agreements of the Texas Department of Transportation. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1018 by Davis. Relating to state actions necessary to maximize federal funding for certain transportation projects. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1019 by Rodriguez. Relating to the County ethics commission for certain counties. To International Relations and Trade. Senate Bill 1020 by Rodriguez. Relating to a feasibility study regarding the establishment of a dental school at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1021 by Rodriguez. Relating to certain examination requirements for physicians. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1022 by Rodriguez. Relating to the graduate medical training requirements for certain foreign medical school graduates. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1023 by Rodriguez. Relating to health professions resource center. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1024 by Rodriguez. Relating to the prosecution of the offense of theft. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1025 by Harris. Relating to service of citation and appointment of an attorney ad litem for an indigent person in certain suits affecting the child relationship. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1026 by Harris. Relating to powers and duties of an attorney ad litem appointed for a parent in certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1027 by Harris. Relating to provisions of legal services by a guardian in connection with the guardianship. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1028 by Harris Relating to the appointment of council to represent an indigent defendant in a capital case and to the reimbursement of certain expenses incurred by appointed counsel. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1029 by Harris. Relating to the designation of a person as a vexatious litigant. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1030 by Carona. Relating to notice by signed requirement for sexually oriented businesses. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1031 by Carona. Relating to design, construction and renovation and energy sufficient standards of buildings. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1032 by Seliger. Relating to the registration and regulation of equine dental technicians, advertising by veterinarians and equine dental technicians, and the confidentiality of investigation files maintained by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. To Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senate Bill 1033 by Seliger. Relating to the authority of certain political subdivision to change the date of their general elections. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1034 by Watson. Relating to the date of the general election and certain municipalities. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1035 by Williams. Relating to motor vehicle title services. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1036 by Williams. Relating to notice required in connection with possessory liens on motor vehicle. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1037 by Carona. Relating to the imposition of a tax on the gross receipts from admissions fees charged by sexually oriented businesses. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1038 by Ellis. Relating to certain continued education requirements for agents who sell Medicaid related products and annuities. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1039 by Ellis. Relating to the provision of bilingual election materials. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1040 by Ellis. Relating to exemptions from the sales and use tax for certain energy efficient products. To Finance. Senate Bill 1041 by Hegar. Relating to the repeal of the goal for natural gas use. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1042 by Hegar. Relating to the eligibility of employees convicted of certain offenses to provide services under a contract with a public school to education. Senate Bill 1043 by Watson. Relating to criminal penalty by the discharging of certain burning materials. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1044 by Watson and Jackson. Relating to authorizing counties to finance the acquisition of conservation easements. To Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senate Bill 1045 by Van de Putte. Relating to examinations for hiring in certain municipal fire departments. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1046 by Duncan. Relating to information regarding deceased registered voters. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1047 by Jackson. Relating to eligible of an innovation and commercialization organization associated with the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1048 by Jackson. Relating to the creation of public and private facilities and infrastructure. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1049 by Davis. Relating to the disclosure of certain information regarding hydraulic fracturing treatment operations. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1050 by West. Relating to the collection of certain information on a birth certificate. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1051 by Ellis. Relating to a periodic review of state and local tax preferences. To Finance. Senate Bill 1052 by Ellis. Relating to an increase in the cigarette tax to fund the child health care program. To Finance. Senate Bill 1053 by Hinojosa. Relating to notice of and issuance of a permit for the construction or expansion of a wind powered electric generation facility. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1054 by Hegar. Relating to the notice of acceptance or rejection of an insurance claim. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1055 by Carona. Relating to reports concerning and the reporting of the use of certain funds by community supervision and corrections department. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1057 by Wentworth. Relating to the transfer of certain vehicle registrations at the time of sale of the vehicle. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1058 by Nichols. Relating to the transfer of certain state property from the Department of Aging and Disability Services to the Angelina and Neches River Authority. To Governmental Organizations. Senate Bill 1059 by Nichols. Relating to the program for improvement of collection of costs, fees, and fines imposed in criminal cases. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1060 by Van de Putte. Relating to creation of a first offender prostitution preventer program. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1061 by Harris. Relating to requirements for an application for a tax warrant authorizing the seizure of personal property for the payment of ad valorem taxes. To Finance. Senate Bill 1062 by Davis. Relating to premium refunds for insurance rates found to be excessive or unfairly discriminatory. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1063 by Davis. Relating to the election and qualifications of the commissioner of insurance. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1064 by Davis. Relating to collection and use of certain information by certain insurers. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1065 by Williams. Relating to critical incident stress management and crisis response services. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1066 by Estes. Relating to adding certain synthetic stimulants to the penalty group two of the Texas Controlled Substances Act. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1067 by Ellis. Relating to funding the Texas grant program at public institutions of higher education. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1068 by Ellis. Relating to the lease of certain state parking facilities to other persons. To Government Organization. Senate Bill 1069 by Jackson. Relating to the Texas emerging technology fund reporting requirement. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1070 by Jackson. Relating to composition of the permanent advisory committee to advise the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding the implementation of the ad valorem tax exemption for pollution control property. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1071 by Jackson. Relating to the expansion of certain state property in Brazoria County of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. To Governmental Organizations. Senate Bill 1072 by Jackson. Relating to the sale of certain state property in Brazoria County to Governmental Organization. Senate Bill 1073 by Jackson. Relating to standards for a structure that is connected to a public water supply system and has a rain water harvesting system. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1074 by Jackson. Relating to water districts' authority to set rates and a presumption of validity. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1075 by Jackson. Relating to the regulation of plumbing. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1076 by Ellis. Relating to community supervision for certain drug possession offenses. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1077 by Ellis. Relating to the establishment of certain time credits through which a defendant's period of community supervision is reduced. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1078 by Ellis. Relating to representation of certain applicants for writs of habeas corpus in cases involving the death penalty. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1079 by Ellis. Relating to the applicability of the death penalty to a capital offense committed by a person with mental retardation. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1080 by Williams. Relating to transferring the Texas Department of Rural Affairs to the office of rural affairs within the Department of Agriculture. To the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee. Senate Bill 1081 by Van de Putte. Relating to the dispensation of pharmaceuticals with an aesthetic purpose by physicians. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1082 by Hegar. Relating to strategic partnerships with the continuation of certain water districts. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1083 by Hegar. Relating to development agreements governing land and governmental municipalities' extra territorial jurisdictions. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1084 by Wentworth. Relating to regulations on certain complimentary and alternative health care services. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1085 by Wentworth. Relating to fees collected by district court clerks on the filing of certain civil actions or proceedings. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1086 by Estes. Relating to the operation by the Department of Agriculture of programs of rural economic development. To Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senate Bill 1087 by Carona. Relating to state issued certificates of franchise authority to provide cable service and business service. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1088 by Rodriguez. Relating to the imposition of certain municipalities and municipal transit departments of the local sales and use tax in certain federal military installations. To Finance. Senate Bill 1089 by Rodriguez. Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of property owned by the surviving spouse or minor children by a member of the Armed Forces. To Finance. Senate Bill 1090 by Rodriguez. Relating to the liability of certain social workers who provide volunteer health care services. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1091 by Rodriguez. Relating to authorization for a caregiver who is a relative to enroll a child in school. To Education. Senate Bill 1092 by Rodriguez. Relating to creating a pilot project to reduce the need for developmental education required for certain students entering higher education. To Education. Senate Bill 1093 by Rodriguez. Relating to requirements regarding the employment by school districts of educational support employees. To Education. Senate Bill 1094 by Rodriguez. Relating to availability of online testing for high school equivalency examination. To Education. Senate Bill 1095 by Rodriguez. Relating to the posting of signs in school crossing zones regarding prohibitive use of a wireless communication device. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1096 by Rodriguez. Relating to designation of State Highway 20 as a historic highway. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1097 by Eltife, et al. Relating to single certification in incorporated or annexed areas served by water or sewer utilities. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1098 by Huffman. Relating to prohibited practice in regarding unauthorized recordings. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1099 by Van de Putte. Relating to smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in residential rental units. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1100 by Shapiro. Relating to the designation of Irving Diamond Interchange. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1101 by Wentworth. Relating to the provision of certain professional services by certain governmental entities. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1102 by Wentworth. Relating to establishment and operation of a motorbus only lane pilot program in certain counties. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1103 by Carona. Relating to venue for prosecution of certain theft offenses. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1104 by Jackson. Relating to the operation, powers, and duties of ship channel districts. To Transportation Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1105 by Jackson. Relating to an allotment of the public school finance for the cost of wind storm and hail insurance. To Education. Senate Bill 1106 by Harris and Huffman. Relating to exchange of confidential information among certain governmental entities concerning certain juveniles. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1107 by Davis and Lucio. Relating to vaccinations against bacterial meningitis as a first time student. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1108 by Davis. Relating to requiring computer technicians to report images of child pornography. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1109 by Williams. Relating to state agency procurement and the controller's procurement, powers and duties. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1110 by Wentworth. Relating to the regulation of multiple unit rental home communities. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1111 by Wentworth. Relating to power of the Cibolo Creek Municipal Authority to issue bonds. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1112 by Wentworth. Relating to the offense of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1113 by Wentworth. Relating to certain contracts entered into by school districts or another entity to provide food services. To Education. Senate Bill 1114 by Wentworth. Relating to the regulation of driver training schools and instructions. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1115 by Wentworth. Relating to fraud against the state and actions by the state and private persons to prosecute those frauds. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1116 by Whitmire and Hinojosa. Relating to certain prohibited conduct that occurs on a public school campus or on a vehicle owned by a county or school district. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1117 by Whitmire. Relating to prosecution of a parent contributing to the nonattendance of a public school student. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1118 by Hinojosa, Wentworth and Rodriguez. Relating to the operation of video lottery games by licensed horse and greyhound racetrack operators. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1119 by Ellis. Relating to beverage container deposits and recycling. To Finance. Senate Bill 1120 by Seliger. Relating to the exemption of taxation property of a local government corporation. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1121 by Estes. Relating to the student fees for the University Center at Midwestern State University. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1122 by Estes. Relating to the sale of delinquent tax receivables by certain local governments. To Finance. Senate Bill 1123 by Carona. Relating to the regulation of inspectors qualified to perform windstorm inspections and to persons acting as those inspectors. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1124 by Carona. Relating to the licensing and regulation of certain persons involved in residential mortgage lending pursuant to the Texas Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2009. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1125 by Carona. Relating to energy efficiency goals. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1126 by Eltife. Relating to the regulatory authority of the consumer credit commissioner. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1127 by Eltife. Relating to fees paid to the consumer credit commissioner. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1128 by Jackson. Relating to the conduct and administration of elections. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1129 by Seliger. Relating to treatment under the public school finance system of a school district that imposes a maintenance and operations tax at a rate below the rate otherwise required. To Finance. Senate Bill 1130 by Hegar. Relating to the exception from required public disclosure of certain records of an appraisal district. To Open Government. Senate Bill 1131 by Hegar. Relating to the creation of magistrates in certain counties. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1132 by Hegar. Relating to water rights permit issued to the Texas Water Development Board. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1133 by Hegar. Relating to unitization and preparedness report by the Public Entity Commission. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1134 by Hegar. Relating to air permitting requirements for certain oil and gas facilities. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1135 by Hegar. Relating to regulation of gas pipelines. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1136 by Watson. Relating to the issuance of titles for certain motor vehicles that are subject of insurance claims. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1137 by Watson. Relating to public participation in the development of transportation projects by the Texas Department of Transportation. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1138 by Watson. Relating to the authority of regional mobility authorities to enter into comprehensive development agreements. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1139 by Watson. Relating to the study of and report on public and private out of school time programs. To Education. Senate Bill 1140 by Watson. Relating to payment by water control and improvement district for certain damages caused by the district operation of a sanitary sewer system. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1141 by Ellis. Relating to the jurisdiction of the 228th District Court. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1142 by Van de Putte. Relating to revision of open enrollment charter school charters. To Education. Senate Bill 1144 by Shapiro, Nelson and Harris. Related to comprehensive development agreements. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1145 by Shapiro and Harris. Relating to comprehensive development agreements. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1146 by Estes. Relating to programs funded under the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Fund. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1147 by Duncan. Relating to the nonsubstantive revision of certain local laws concerning special districts, including conforming amendments. To Administration. Senate Bill 1148 by Wentworth. Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to authorize certain injection wells that transect or terminate in the Edwards Aquifer. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1149 by Seliger. Relating to requiring electric utilities to comply with energy efficiency goals. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1150 by Seliger. Relating to requiring certain non-ERCOT utilities to comply with energy efficiency goals. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1151 by Jackson. Relating to notice of utility rate increases. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1152 by Williams. Relating to authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to fund capital project at Lamar University. To Finance. Senate Bill 1153 by Williams. Relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas regarding an electric utility membership and/or controlled by a regional commission organization. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1154 by Uresti. Relating to a task force for the development of a strategy to reduce child abuse and neglect. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1155 by Lucio. Relating to the appointment of a person with experience and training in public health policy to the board of directors of Regional Ability Authority. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1156 by Lucio. Relating to the sale of fireworks on or before Memorial Day. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1157 by Uresti. Relating to certification of the state's primary standards of weights and measures. To Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senate Bill 1158 by West. Relating to restrictions on the disclosure of certain criminal history records and to the duty of law enforcement agencies regarding records associated with certain defendants. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1159 by Wentworth. Relating to an exception of the residency requirements for filing a suit for dissolution of a marriage. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1160 by Seliger. Relating to the liability of a landowner for harm to a trespasser. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1161 by Wentworth. Relating requiring certain persons to follow certain plans and receive certain mental health services on release or discharge from an inpatient mental health facility. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1162 by Wentworth. Relating to reporting regarding the apprehension and transportation of and records relating to certain persons who may be persons with mental illness. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1163 by Wentworth. Relating to the exchange of information among certain entities concerning at risk youth. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1164 by Wentworth. Relating to optional annuity increases and annual supplemental payments for certain retirees and beneficiaries of the Texas Municipal Retirement System. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1165 by Carona. Relating to certain enforcement powers by the banking commission. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1166 by Carona. Relating to prepaid funeral benefits contracts. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1167 by Carona. Relating to cemeteries and perpetual care cemetery corporations. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1168 by Carona. Relating to the repeal of the certification process for personnel service owners and the regulation of personnel services. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1169 by Carona. Relating to the regulation of providers, administrators and sellers of service contracts and identity recovery service contracts. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1170 by Carona. Relating to the regulation of barbers and cosmetologists. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1171 by Carona. Relating to practice and professions regulated by the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1172 by Deuell. Relating to automated sales and use tax remittances by retailers. To Finance. Senate Bill 1173 by Deuell. Relating to lender notice of default to contractors regarding a construction loan or financing agreement. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1174 by Deuell. Relating to provision of workers compensation medical benefits to a peace officer or firefighter injured in the line of duty. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1175 by Jackson. Relating to prior approval of the reward of money for the Texas enterprise fund and the Texas emergent technology fund. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1176 by Jackson. Relating to the definition of a postsecondary program in regard to a non baccalaureate career schools and colleges. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1177 by Nelson. Relating to health care facilities' adoption of a policy on vaccine preventable diseases. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1178 by Nelson. Relating to the regulation of certain shelter daycare facilities, child care facilities and individuals providing child care services. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1179 by Nelson. Relating to the elimination of certain required reports prepared by state agencies and institutions of higher education. To Finance. Senate Bill 1180 by Nelson. Relating to hotel occupancy taxes and livestock facility use taxes for certain revenue projects. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1181 by Williams. Relating to the delivery of Medicaid services through a managed care model in certain counties. To Finance. Senate Bill 1182 by Williams. Relating to the review of certain documents by the attorney general. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1183 by Williams. Relating to the offense to coercing a person to have or seek an abortion. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1184 by Nichols. Relating to the creation of the timber springs municipal management district. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1185 by Nichols. Relating to the authority of certain counties to impose a hotel occupancy tax for the operation of maintenance of a fairground in the county. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1186 by Hinojosa. Relating to enterprise zone program. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1187 by Watson. Relating to the effect of indexing notices (inaudible). To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1188 by Watson. Relating to an exemption from private security regulation for social workers engaged in the practice of social work. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1189 by Gallegos. Relating to exempting certain fraternal and veterans organizations from certain bond requirements. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1190 by Gallegos. Relating to the appeal of an indefinite suspension of a municipal firefighter or police officer. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1191 by Gallegos. Relating to the criminal proceeding registration for convicted arsonists. Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1192 by Rodriguez. Relating to the creation and administration and interpretation of powers of attorney including statutory powers of attorney. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1193 by Rodriguez. Relating to coordination of services provided by Medicaid managed care organizations. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1194 by Rodriguez. Relating to the amount of temporary income benefits to which an injured employee is entitled under the workers compensation system. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1195 by Rodriguez. Relating to postponement of jury service in certain counties. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1196 by Rodriguez. Relating to guardianships and alternatives to guardianship for persons who have physical disabilities or who are incapacitated. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1197 by Rodriguez. Relating to trusts. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1198 by Rodriguez. Relating to decedents' estates. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1199 by Patrick relating to a ballot by mail single language requirement. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1200 by Patrick. Relating to trials for misdemeanor cases. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1201 by Patrick. Relating to regulatory takings. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1202 by Patrick. Relating to asbestos and silica litigation. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1203 by Rodriguez. Relating to state collaboration with federally recognized Indian tribes. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1204 by West. Relating to procedures for collection of assessments and other debts including foreclosure of an assessment lien by property owners association. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1205 by Jackson. Relating to the application of a limit on a priced value of a resident's homestead for ad valorem tax purposes. To Finance. Senate Bill 1206 by Deuell. Relating to medical care and health care services provided by health care professionals in a licensed, freestanding emergency medical care facility. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1207 by Deuell. Relating to the designation of a responsible third party. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1208 by Whitmire. Relating to the age until which juveniles placed on determinate sentence probation may be on probation. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1209 by Whitmire. Relating to the detention of certain juvenile offenders. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1210 by Whitmire. Relating to the issuance of identification cards to certain peace officers. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1211 by Van de Putte and Hegar. Relating to payment of claims to pharmacies and pharmacists. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1212 by Van de Putte. Relating to the operation of video gaming by authorized organization and commercial operators. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1213 by Carona. Relating to the regulation of certain transactions related to life insurance and related products. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1214 by Patrick. Relating to equal opportunity for access by private parochial school students to University Interscholastic League sponsored activities. To Education. Senate Bill 1215 by Patrick. Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district for maintenance and operation imposed of the appraised value of a resident's homestead. To Finance. Senate Bill 1216 by Estes. Relating to determination of validity and enforceability of a contract containing an arbitration agreement. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1217 by Estes. Relating to an excavator's duty to notify a notification center before excavating. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1218 by Estes. Relating to the statutory county courts in Wise County. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1219 by Carona. Relating to the web site operated by Public Utility Commission of Texas. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1220 by Hinojosa and Lucio. Relating to the Advisory Committee on Medicaid and child health plan program and rate expenditure disparities between the Texas/Mexico border region and other regions of the state. To International Relations and Trade. Senate Bill 1221 by Hinojosa. Relating to subrogation of certain costs for services provided or paid by the Neches County Hospital District. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1222 by Hinojosa. Relating to recovery of the value of fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid by the Nueces County Hospital District. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1223 by Hinojosa. Relating to service retirement annuity for public judges on the judicial retirement system plan. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1224 by Estes. Relating to contributions made and personal services rendered to public servants. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1225 by Hegar. Relating to the deannexation of land in Caldwell County. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1226 by Hegar. Relating to the ballot language for junior college district annexation elections. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1227 by Hegar. Relating to payment of third party claims under commercial and personal automobile insurance policies in this state. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1228 by Hegar. Relating to the duties of district clerk regarding certain electronic filing systems. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1229 by Eltife. Relating to the registration with the Texas Department of Insurance with certain contract examiners. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1230 by Estes. Relating to the construction and operation of combined heating and other facilities in certain cities. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1231 by Estes. Relating to the regulation of health spas by the secretary of state. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1232 by Estes. Relating to the creation of grain producer indemnity fund. To Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senate Bill 1233 by West. Relating to the promotion of efficiencies in and the administration of certain county services and functions. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1234 by West. Relating to municipal manage districts. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1235 by West. Relating to real property that is subject to restrictive covenants and the operation of property owners associations of subdivisions that are subject to restrictive covenants. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1236 by West. Relating to the reduction and confirmation of child support arrearages and an incentive program to encourage payment of arrearages. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1237 by Williams. Relating to persons authorized to access or use electronically readable information derived from a driver's license. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1238 by Carona. Relating to communications by public service providers during a disaster and emergency. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1239 by West. Relating to the prohibition against the use of certain sprays, stun guns and tasers by school district peace officers. To Education. Senate Bill 1240 by West. Relating to attendance remedies regarding a local government's revocation of a certificate of occupancy. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1241 by West. Relating to authorizing certain courts to access information in the juvenile justice information system. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1242 by West. Relating to the judicial immunity and powers of certain magistrates. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1243 by West. Relating to the use of a county risk management pool by certain county and district officers. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1244 by Carona. Relating to the eligible requirements for licenses for certain air-conditioning and refrigerating contractors. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1245 by Zaffirini. Relating to local option elections to legalize or prohibit the operation of eight liners. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1246 by Eltife. Relating to application of statute that classify political subdivisions according to population. To Administration. Senate Bill 1247 by Huffman. Relating to the creation of Jefferson County management district No. 1. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1248 by Lucio. Relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 499 as the Colonel Bill Card, Jr. Boulevard. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1249 by Lucio. Relating to the disposition of fines for traffic violations collected by certain counties. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1250 by Lucio. Relating to the applicability of certain restrictions on the location and operation of concrete crushing facilities. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1251 by Gallegos. Relating to the board of directors of the Greater East End Management District. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1252 by Williams. Relating to evaluating, providing for efficient government resource allocation. To Finance. Senate Bill 1253 by Uresti. Relating to positions that are exempt from a sheriff's department civil service system in certain counties. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1254 by Carona. Relating to the creation of the offense of employing an individual not lawfully present in the United States. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1255 by Estes. Relating to the employment of physicians and other staff by certain municipal hospital authorities. To Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senate Bill 1256 by Hegar. Relating to power of the Aransas County Navigation District to determine the amount of a check or bond necessary to purchase land. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1257 by Hegar and Watson. Relating to the annexation by certain conservation and reclamation of districts of noncontiguous land in another county. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1258 by Duncan. Relating to the disposal of demolition waste from abandoned or nuisance building in certain areas. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1259 by Ellis. Relating to the eligibility of certain individuals for medical assistance. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1261 by Hinojosa. Relating to the operation of dropout recovery programs by the public junior colleges. To Education. Senate Bill 1262 by Van de Putte. Relating to Texas State Board of Pharmacy. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1263 by Van de Putte. Relating to the authority of the Bexar County Hospital District to employ physicians. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1265 by Uresti. Relating to the accreditation of certain -- of training programs and examinations for certain medical emergency services personnel. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1266 by Uresti. Relating to the elimination of certain reports submitted by the court of criminal appeals and the Supreme Court to the office of court administration. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1267 by Uresti. Relating to application for appeal filed with the appellate court. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1268 by Whitmire. Relating to the right of sheriff departments in certain counties to maintain local control over wages, hours and other terms. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1269 by Wentworth. Relating to honorariums offered to and accepted by public servants. To the Select Committee on Open Government. Senate Bill 1270 by Wentworth. Relating to public information law. To Select Committee on Open Government. Senate Bill 1271 by Duncan. Relating to alternative dispute resolution systems. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1272 by Eltife. Relating to tuition rates and formula funding for certain nonresident students enrolled at Texas A&M University Texarkana. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1273 by Williams. Relating to the lawful manufacture, distribution, and possession of prescriptions for controlled substances under the Texas Controlled Substances Act. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1274 by Williams. Relating to registration of roofing contractors. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1275 by Williams. Relating to regulation of manufactured housing by the Texas Department of Housing and Regulation. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1276 by Williams. Relating to transferring certain energy assistance programs from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to the Public Utility Commission of Texas. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1277 by Ellis. Relating to the validating certain acts and proceedings of Harris County improvement district No. 5. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1279 by Estes. Relating to members of the state securities board. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1280 by Estes. Relating to the taxation and titling of certain off-road vehicles. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1281 by Watson. Relating to certain violations of and offenses under the Securities Act. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1282 by Watson. Relating to prohibition on the use of revenue sharing as a means of repayment of Texas Department of Transportation cost participation in a toll facility of a public entity. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1283 by Watson. Relating to penalty for fraudulent or deceptive voting practices. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1284 by Watson. Relating to the right of certain municipalities to maintain local control over wages and hours and other terms and conditions of employment. To Intergovernmental Relations. Senate Bill 1285 by Watson. Relating to the contributions to the retirement systems for certain police officers. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1286 by Watson. Relating to administration and funding of retirement systems for firefighters. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1287 by Watson. Relating to participation and contributions to the state employee charitable campaign by retired state employees. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1288 by Watson. Relating to a study regarding ad valorem tax relief of a circuit breaker program. To Finance. Senate Bill 1289 by Watson. Relating to the requirement that health care practitioners wear photo identification badges. To Health and Human Services. Senate Bill 1290 by Hegar. Relating to the creation of Calhoun County Groundwater Conservation District. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1291 by Hegar. Relating to the budget of certain divisions of the Texas Department of Insurance. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1292 by Hegar. Relating to the issuance of a driver's license to a peace officer that includes an alternative to the officer's residence address. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1293 by Hegar. Relating to the amounts of administrative, civil and criminal penalties for violations relating to certain pipelines. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1294 by Hegar. Relating to imposition of administrative penalties by the Railroad Commission of Texas. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1295 by Hegar. Relating to the mining and reclamation of certain land previously affected by surface coal mining operations. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1296 by Hegar. Relating to the use of proceeds of bonds and other financial security filed with the Railroad Commission of Texas by certain persons under the jurisdiction of the commission. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1297 by Hinojosa. Relating to creating the offense of altering a disabled parking placard. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1298 by Hinojosa. Relating to the authority of counties to nominate projects in the extra territorial jurisdictions of certain municipalities for designation as enterprise projects. To Economic Development. Senate Bill 1299 by Duncan. Relating to the nonsubstantive provision of revisions of the Texas Probate Code. To Administration. Senate Bill 1300 by Jackson. Relating to insurer restrictions regarding repairing a motor vehicle covered under an insurance policy. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1301 by Deuell. Relating to manufacturers' inclusion of denatonium benzoate in certain products containing ethylene glycol. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1302 by Deuell. Relating to the offense of paying or receiving certain forms of compensation for assisting voters who vote early by mail. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1303 by West. Relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes. To Administration. Senate Bill 1304 by Rodriguez. Relating to requiring financial disclosure concerning reports prepared by public institutions of higher education. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 1305 by Rodriguez. Relating to a prohibition of school district retaliation against an employee for filing a grievance. To Education. Senate Bill 1306 by Hegar and Duncan. Relating to the procedures for an appeals of desired future conditions adopted by Brown Water Management areas. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1307 by Wentworth. Relating to an exemption of a payment of a toll for unmarked military vehicles conducting a training for emergency operations. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1308 by Seliger. Relating to the standards for attorneys representing indigent defendants in capital cases. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1309 by Hinojosa. Relating to rate adjustments by gas utilities. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1310 by Shapiro and Jackson. Relating to the creation of the Select Committee on Economic Development. To Administration. Senate Bill 1311 by Lucio, et al. Relating to the designation of certain highways as a part of The Purple Heart Trail. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1313 by Van de Putte. Relating to the definition of conduct indicating the need for supervision. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1314 by Van de Putte. Relating to the punishment for civil consequences of committing the offense of prostitution. To Criminal Justice. Senate Bill 1315 by Jackson. Relating to the regulation of boat manufacturers, distributers and dealers. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1316 by Rodriguez. Relating to certain investigations conducted by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. To Business and Commerce. Senate Bill 1316 by Van de Putte. Relating to coverage for certain pharmaceutical services by a workers compensation insurance carrier. To State Affairs. Senate Bill 1318 by Hinojosa. Relating to the design, construction and renovation standards for state buildings and facilities. To Natural Resources. Senate Bill 1321 by Hinojosa. Relating to the regulation of the towing and storage of vehicles. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1322 by Fraser. Relating to the operation of the Kimbel County, McCulloch County, Mason County, and Menard County juvenile boards. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1323 by Watson. Relating to the environmental review of certain transportation projects by the Texas Department of Transportation. To Transportation and Homeland Security. Senate Bill 1324 by Watson. Relating to gestational agreements. To Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 1325 by Watson. Relating to the Administration of the Texas Say and Match Program. To Higher Education. Senate Bill 644 by Hegar. Relating to the continuation and operations of the Texas Department of Insurance. To Governmental Organization.

SENATOR GALLEGOS: Pursuant to a motion adopted earlier, the Senate stands in recess until 8:30 tomorrow morning. (Adjourned.)