Friday, May 11, 2001
SENATE JOURNAL
SEVENTY-FIRST DAY
Friday, May 11, 2001
PROCEEDINGS
The Senate met at 8:00 a.m. pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President.
The roll was called and the following Senators were present: Armbrister, Barrientos, Bernsen, Bivins, Brown, Cain, Carona, Duncan, Ellis, Fraser, Gallegos, Harris, Haywood, Jackson, Lindsay, Lucio, Madla, Moncrief, Nelson, Ogden, Shapiro, Shapleigh, Sibley, Staples, Truan, Van de Putte, Wentworth, West, Whitmire, Zaffirini, Mr. President.
The President announced that a quorum of the Senate was present.
The Reverend Bill Henderson, Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, Austin, offered the invocation as follows:
O wondrous and loving God, we begin this day with joy that we are among the living, that we have breath to praise You, strength to serve You, and that You have allowed us positions of privilege and power to serve those whom You love. As You have blessed us with Your strong and tender mercies, may we bless those of our great state with careful and wise decisions.
In the rush of these remaining days of this session may Your holy spirit come upon this place and these people like the rush of a mighty wind. Empower them to do Your will, to follow the way of Your peace and justice, to give preference to the poor, the powerless, and the voiceless persons of need in our state. These halls and galleries are crowded with those who have narrow and special interests, O God, but endow these persons here to act for the good of all, that it is Your will that is done.
Grant Your wisdom and Your compassion to those who are in this place that they may serve You and those upon whose lives are here affected. Give these women and men the peace that comes with living in Your grace, in Your forgiveness, and in Your power. To Your holy name be the glory, and in Your holy spirit we pray. Amen.
On motion of Senator Truan and by unanimous consent, the reading of the Journal of the proceedings of yesterday was dispensed with and the Journal was approved.