Perm1-9



	Tuesday, January 9, 2001
		SENATE JOURNAL

	FIRST DAY

	Tuesday, January 9, 2001

	PROCEEDINGS

	In accordance with the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, the Senate of the Seventy-seventh Legislature met in the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol on Tuesday, the ninth day of January, 2001, at 12:00 noon. The Honorable Bill Ratliff, having been elected to serve as Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate on December 28, 2000, in accordance with the provisions of Section 9, Article III of the Texas Constitution and Senate Rule 1.03, called the Senate to order. Jim Ross, Palestine District Superintendent, United Methodist Church, offered the invocation as follows: Our father God, in whom our fathers and mothers trusted, and in whom we trust, we pause at the beginning of the 77th Session of the Texas Legislature to invoke Your blessings on the work and tasks before this body and to seek Your help and guidance in all that they do. We give thanks for people who respond to the call to places of public service and who through their commitment to all that makes life good and abundant, validate and confirm the trust of the people of this state. We come from varied places and several walks of life but here in this place may we be united in heart and mind to better face the challenges and opportunities that are before us for making this state a better place to live and, by our example to other governments, a better nation and a better world. And, may these legislators go forward in their work with the confidence and courage that You are ever present with them to guide and guard. Especially we pray Your blessings on our Governor Rick Perry and our Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff. We pray that You will guide them so that, by their leadership and example, we may all find inspiration in not only times of prosperity and happiness but also in times of difficulty and disappointment. And in all of life, enable us all to be messengers and mediators of hope and helpfulness to one another that life can be what You envision for us. These things, and others that we utter in the silence of our hearts, we pray in Your name. Amen. INTERPRETER FOR THE DEAF The interpretation of the proceedings of the Senate was provided by Ella Anderson.



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	ROLL CALL OF SENATORS The President directed the Secretary of the Senate to call the roll of the present Members of the Senate. The roll was called and the following Senators answered to their names: The Honorable Ken Armbrister, representing the Eighteenth Senatorial District composed of: Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Calhoun, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, part of Fort Bend, Goliad, Gonzales, part of Guadalupe, part of Hays, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Matagorda, Refugio, Victoria, and Wharton counties. The Honorable David Bernsen, representing the Fourth Senatorial District composed of: Chambers, part of Galveston, part of Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, part of Montgomery, and Orange counties. The Honorable Teel Bivins, representing the Thirty-first Senatorial District composed of: Andrews, Bailey, Cochran, Dallam, Deaf Smith, part of Ector, Gaines, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Midland, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Winkler, and Yoakum counties. The Honorable J. E. "Buster" Brown, representing the Seventeenth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Brazoria, part of Fort Bend, and part of Harris counties. The Honorable Robert Duncan, representing the Twenty-eighth Senatorial District composed of: Borden, Crane, Crosby, part of Culberson, Dawson, part of Ector, part of El Paso, Garza, Glasscock, Hale, Hockley, Howard, Hudspeth, Irion, Lamb, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Reagan, part of Reeves, Sterling, Terry, part of Tom Green, Upton, and Ward counties. The Honorable Rodney Ellis, representing the Thirteenth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Fort Bend and part of Harris counties. The Honorable Mario V. Gallegos, Jr., representing the Sixth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Harris County. The Honorable Tom Haywood, representing the Thirtieth Senatorial District composed of: Archer, Armstrong, Baylor, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Clay, part of Collin, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, part of Denton, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Grayson, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jones, Kent, King, Knox, Montague, Motley, Scurry, Stonewall, Swisher, part of Taylor, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wichita, and Wilbarger counties. The Honorable Mike Jackson, representing the Eleventh Senatorial District composed of: Part of Brazoria, part of Galveston, and part of Harris counties. The Honorable Frank Madla, representing the Nineteenth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Atascosa, part of Bexar, Brewster, Crockett, part of Culberson, Edwards, Jeff Davis, Kinney, Maverick, part of Medina, Pecos, Presidio, Real, part of Reeves, part of Sutton, Terrell, part of Uvalde, and Val Verde counties. The Honorable Steve Ogden, representing the Fifth Senatorial District composed of: Brazos, Burleson, Falls, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, part of McLennan, Milam, Navarro, Robertson, Trinity, Walker, Waller, Washington, and part of Williamson counties.



	Tuesday, January 9, 2001
		SENATE JOURNAL
	The Honorable Bill Ratliff, representing the First Senatorial District composed of: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Rusk, part of Smith, Titus, and Upshur counties. The Honorable David Sibley, representing the Twenty-second Senatorial District composed of: Bosque, Comanche, part of Denton, Eastland, Erath, Hamilton, Hill, Hood, Jack, part of Johnson, part of McLennan, Palo Pinto, part of Parker, Somervell, part of Tarrant, and Wise counties. The Honorable Carlos F. Truan, representing the Twentieth Senatorial District composed of: Brooks, part of Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, and Willacy counties. The Honorable Royce West, representing the Twenty-third Senatorial District composed of: Part of Dallas and part of Tarrant counties. MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE The following message from the Secretary of State was read and was filed with the Secretary of the Senate: THE STATE OF TEXAS Secretary of State I, ELTON BOMER, Secretary of State of the State of Texas, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that according to the records of this office the attached is a true and correct list, in alphabethical order, of the members of the Senate of the 77th Legislature, 2001, whose election on November 7, 2000, has been duly and legally certified to this office. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name officially and caused to be impressed hereon the Seal of State at my office in the City of Austin, Texas this 21st day of December 2000. /s/Elton Bomer Secretary of State ROLL CALL OF SENATORS-ELECT The President directed the Secretary of the Senate to call the roll of the Senators-elect as certified by the Secretary of State. The roll was called and the following Senators-elect answered to their names: The Honorable Gonzalo Barrientos, representing the Fourteenth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Hays and part of Travis counties. The Honorable David Cain, representing the Second Senatorial District composed of: Part of Dallas, part of Ellis, Fannin, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, part of Rockwall, part of Smith, Van Zandt, and Wood counties. The Honorable Troy Fraser, representing the Twenty-fourth Senatorial District composed of: Bell, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Coryell, Lampasas, part of Llano, McCulloch, Menard, Mills, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, San Saba, Shackelford, Stephens, part of Taylor, and Young counties.



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	The Honorable Chris Harris, representing the Tenth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Johnson, part of Parker, and part of Tarrant counties. The Honorable Jon Lindsay, representing the Seventh Senatorial District composed of: Part of Harris County. The Honorable Eddie Lucio, Jr., representing the Twenty-seventh Senatorial District composed of: Cameron and part of Hidalgo counties. The Honorable Mike Moncrief, representing the Twelfth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Tarrant County. The Honorable Jane Nelson, representing the Ninth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Dallas, part of Denton, part of Ellis, and part of Tarrant counties. The Honorable Florence Shapiro, representing the Eighth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Collin and part of Dallas counties. The Honorable Eliot Shapleigh, representing the Twenty-ninth Senatorial District composed of: Part of El Paso County. The Honorable Todd Staples, representing the Third Senatorial District composed of: Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Hardin, Henderson, Jasper, part of Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, part of Smith, and Tyler counties. The Honorable Leticia Van de Putte, representing the Twenty-sixth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Bexar County. The Honorable Jeff Wentworth, representing the Twenty-fifth Senatorial District composed of: Bandera, part of Bexar, Blanco, part of Comal, Gillespie, part of Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, part of Llano, Mason, part of Medina, Schleicher, part of Sutton, part of Tom Green, part of Travis, and part of Williamson counties. The Honorable John Whitmire, representing the Fifteenth Senatorial District composed of: Part of Harris County. The Honorable Judith Zaffirini representing the Twenty-first Senatorial District composed of: Part of Atascosa, Bee, part of Bexar, part of Comal, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, part of Guadalupe, part of Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, Starr, part of Uvalde, Webb, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties. OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO SENATORS-ELECT The President directed the Senators-elect to proceed to the Bar of the Senate. Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips administered the Constitutional Oath of Office to the Senators-elect as follows: I, __, do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of Senator of the State of Texas, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State, so help me God. The President announced that a quorum of the Senate was present.



	Tuesday, January 9, 2001
		SENATE JOURNAL
	LEAVE OF ABSENCE On motion of Senator Brown, Senator Carona, representing the Sixteenth Senatorial District composed of part of Dallas and part of Rockwall counties, was granted leave of absence for today on account of a death in the family. SENATE RESOLUTION 1 Senator Truan offered the following resolution: WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is proud to pay tribute to the Honorable Rick Perry, Governor of the State of Texas, who is so richly deserving of the esteem and respect of the members of this body; and WHEREAS, Whether as lieutenant governor, state agriculture commissioner, or state representative, Rick Perry has always been noted for his honesty, his integrity, and his deep love of Texas; and WHEREAS, Elected lieutenant governor in 1998 on a platform of juntos podemos, together we can, Rick Perry has extended the hand of friendship across party lines to ensure a brighter future for all Texans; and WHEREAS, A fifth-generation Texan, Rick Perry was born in Paint Rock, Texas; he attended Texas A&M University, where he served in the Corps of Cadets and as a yell leader; the experience he gained at Texas A&M would prove invaluable in his future political career; and WHEREAS, After graduating in 1972 with a degree in animal science, he joined the United States Air Force, flying a C-130 until his honorable discharge four and one-half years later; and WHEREAS, Elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1984, he quickly gained a reputation as an able and effective legislator; he served with distinction on the powerful House Appropriations and Calendars committees and was recognized as one of the top legislators in Texas by the Dallas Morning News; and WHEREAS, During his eight-year tenure as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, Governor Perry successfully promoted and expanded markets for Texas agricultural products; an agribusinessman, he intuitively understood the needs of Texas farmers and ranchers; and WHEREAS, Throughout his distinguished career, Governor Perry's first priority has always been the school children of Texas; the initiator of the Master Reading Teacher program, which is designed to ensure that the reading knowledge and skills of Texas school children continue to grow throughout their public school careers, he also helped ensure the passage of the franchise tax credit for businesses that devoted some of their corporate resources to help support before, after, and summer school programs; and WHEREAS, During the 76th Legislature, Governor Perry gained broad based nonpartisan support for the Special Commission on 21st Century Colleges and Universities and the Advisory Council on the Digital Economy, charged with helping keep Texas at the edge of high-technology research, development, and job creation; and WHEREAS, A true family man, Rick is the loving husband of Anita and the devoted father of Griffin and Sydney; and WHEREAS, His honor is unchallenged and his promises are kept, making Rick Perry a man justly to be praised; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 77th Legislature, hereby commend Rick Perry for his exceptional yeoman service on behalf of his fellow



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	Texans and congratulate him in his new position as Governor of Texas; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for Governor Perry as an expression of enduring friendship from the Texas Senate. (Senator Truan in Chair) The resolution was read and was adopted by a viva voce vote. (President in Chair) GUESTS PRESENTED Senator Truan was recognized and presented to the Senate Governor and Mrs. Rick Perry. Senator Truan then presented Governor Perry with a copy of SR 1. Governor Perry briefly addressed the Senate. SENATE RESOLUTION 2 (Caucus Report) Senator Truan offered the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. CAUCUS REPORT. At a caucus held in the offices of the senate attended by 30 members of the senate, the caucus made the recommendations for the operation of the senate contained in this resolution. SECTION 2. SENATE OFFICERS. (a) Senate officers for the 77th Legislature are: (1) Secretary of the Senate—Betty King; (2) Secretary of the Senate, Designee—Patsy Spaw; (3) Calendar Clerk—Pat Rodgers; (4) Doorkeeper—Don Long; (5) Enrolling Clerk—Mardi Alexander; (6) Journal Clerk—Dianne Arrington; and (7) Sergeant-at-arms—Carleton Turner. (b) Officers named in this section serve at the will of the senate. SECTION 3. PARLIAMENTARIAN. The parliamentarian, Walter Fisher, is named by the lieutenant governor and serves at the will of the lieutenant governor. The parliamentarian is a senate officer. SECTION 4. EMPLOYEES. (a) The lieutenant governor may employ staff for the office of the lieutenant governor at salaries set by the lieutenant governor. (b) Each senator may employ staff for the senator's office at salaries set by the senator. (c) The chairman of each committee may employ staff of the chair's selection as needed by the committee. A committee employee shall be compensated in amounts similar to the compensation paid to persons in similar senate positions. (d) The secretary of the senate may employ other staff necessary for the operation of the senate at salaries approved by the administration committee. (e) The lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate, and each senator may use the assistance of any assistant sergeant-at-arms or other available senate employee for any and all services needed in and about the senate. (f) In this resolution, "senate employee" includes an employee of the lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate, a senator, a senate committee, and any other person compensated from funds appropriated for the operation of the senate.



	Tuesday, January 9, 2001
		SENATE JOURNAL
	SECTION 5. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE. (a) In addition to the duties of the administration committee expressly imposed by this resolution, the committee shall take actions necessary to ensure that the administrative operations of the senate comply with applicable law and are conducted effectively and efficiently. (b) The committee shall establish appropriate and necessary controls over contracts, inventory, and property management. (c) The committee may delegate any of its responsibilities to the committee chair, or to the secretary of the senate or another appropriate senate officer, to be performed under the general supervision of the committee. (d) Policies adopted by the administration committee must be consistent with the provisions of this resolution. To the extent of a conflict between a policy and this resolution, this resolution prevails. (e) Policies adopted by the administration committee are subject to the will of the senate, and a majority of the senate may reject or modify any policy adopted by the committee. SECTION 6. EMPLOYMENT AND PERSONNEL POLICIES. (a) The administration committee may adopt and enforce personnel and employment policies governing senate employees. (b) The administration committee may not adopt a policy that limits the salary of an employee of the lieutenant governor, a senator, or a senate committee, except that the administration committee may require approval by that committee of any senate committee employee salary that is proposed to exceed $5,000 a month. SECTION 7. MEMBER'S EMPLOYEE LEAVE POLICY. (a) An employee of a senator accrues vacation leave, compensatory leave, or sick leave in accordance with policies adopted by the senator consistent with the requirements of this section. (b) An employee may accrue vacation leave, compensatory leave, or sick leave only if the employee files a monthly time record with the senate personnel office. Time records are due not later than the 10th day of the following month. (c) Compensatory time must be used not later than the last day of the 12th month following the month in which the time was accrued. (d) An employee is not entitled to compensation for accrued but unused compensatory time. SECTION 8. OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. An employee of the senate may not be employed by and receive compensation from any other person during the term of senate employment without the permission of the employee's senate employer. SECTION 9. WORK HOURS. An employee shall report to work at the time, and work for the number of hours, set by the employee's senate employer. SECTION 10. LIMIT ON MONTHLY STAFF SALARY AND TRAVEL EXPENSES. (a) The total amount of staff salaries and intrastate staff travel expenses for each senator may not exceed $32,000 for chairs and $35,000 for non-chairs a month. (b) Any unexpended portion of this monthly amount may be carried forward from one month to the next and expended until the end of the fiscal year. SECTION 11. SENATORS' EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AND PER DIEM. The secretary of the senate shall provide for the reimbursement of the expenses of each senator and the payment of each senator's per diem in accordance with law, this resolution, and the rules of the Texas Ethics Commission. SECTION 12. OTHER SENATE EXPENSES. (a) The lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate, and each senator may incur expenses for carrying out official



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	duties, including expenses for items such as subscriptions, stationery, postage, and telecommunications. (b) Expenses under this section shall be paid from the contingent expense fund of the senate. SECTION 13. PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND EXPENSES. (a) Salaries and expenses authorized by this resolution shall be paid from the contingent expense fund as provided by this section. (b) Vouchers for payment of any expense, including salaries and travel expenses, must be signed by the chair of the administration committee and the secretary of the senate. (c) The administration committee shall adopt policies regarding the presentation of timely, properly completed, and signed vouchers. SECTION 14. DESIGNATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND FUNCTIONS. (a) The administration committee shall designate a senator or any employee to attend an official meeting of a national governmental organization during the regular session of the 77th Legislature. The person designated is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses. (b) The lieutenant governor may designate a senator to represent the senate at ceremonies and ceremonial functions. The necessary expenses of the senator and necessary staff for this purpose shall be paid pursuant to a budget adopted by the administration committee. SECTION 15. ELECTRONIC RECORDING BY MEMBER PROHIBITED. No member of the senate may electronically record a private conversation held within the brass rail on the senate floor during a legislative session without the knowledge and consent of all participants to the conversation. SECTION 16. JOURNAL. The secretary of the senate shall provide for the printing of not more than 500 copies of the daily journal. Of that number: (1) 175 shall be furnished to the house of representatives; (2) 60 shall be furnished to the Legislative Reference Library; and (3) the remainder shall be apportioned among the senators and the lieutenant governor. The resolution was read and was adopted by a viva voce vote. PHYSICIAN OF THE DAY Senator Wentworth was recognized and presented Dr. Lloyde Van Winkle of Castroville as the Physician of the Day. The Senate welcomed Dr. Van Winkle and thanked him for his participation in the Physician of the Day program sponsored by the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO OFFICERS OF THE SENATE The President directed the officers of the Senate to proceed to the Bar of the Senate. Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips administered the Constitutional Oath of Office to the officers as follows:



	Tuesday, January 9, 2001
		SENATE JOURNAL
	I, ____________________, do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of ___________________ of the Senate of the State of Texas, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State, so help me God. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE SEVENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, REGULAR SESSION The President announced that the time had arrived for the election of President Pro Tempore of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session. Senator Nelson placed in nomination the name of Senator Chris Harris of Tarrant County for the office of President Pro Tempore of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session. On motion of Senator Truan and by unanimous consent, Senator Nelson's nominating speech was ordered reduced to writing and printed in the Senate Journal as follows: Thank you Mr. President. I rise to place in nomination the name of Senator Chris Harris for President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. I've known Senator Harris longer than I've known any other Member of this body. In fact, I lived in and taught school in Arlington, and met my husband at UT Arlington, just a stone's throw from Senator Harris' district office, so it is a wonderful privilege and honor for me to stand here nominating my friend and colleague. It is indeed a well deserved recognition. Senator Harris has earned my deepest respect throughout the years for his hard work, his dedication, his commitment to the people of Texas. And I can attest to that hard work firsthand because my office is in the underground extension and I can look out my window across the atrium into Senator Harris' window. Senator, I don't know if you knew that, but I can tell you this: over the next five months the lights in his office are going to be on more often than they are off. That's just how hard he works to serve the people who have elected him to represent them. Senator Harris has served with distinction on several important committees including the Health and Human Services Committee, Economic Development Committee, General Investigation, and Jurisprudence. He was a wonderful steward for us as Chairman of the Senate Administration Committee, and I am confident that he is going to be just as judicious with taxpayer dollars in his new position as Vice-chair of the Senate Finance Committee. His legislative accomplishments reflect his compassion for the people of Texas. He has fought to reduce juvenile crime and drug and alcohol abuse. He is an advocate for children and has worked hard to improve the child support collection system. He is a strong supporter of education and commerce and better roads and quality health care. Senator Harris is blessed with a loving family and it's great to see them here today. He and his wife, Tammy, are proud parents of daughter Heather, who is married and a mom; son Justin, who attends The



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	University of Texas at Arlington; son Don "Buzzy" Harris, who works at UTA; and Chris Harris, Jr., who is a world-class bareback rider who recently finished third in the world championship. And I might caution any of you who go to Senator Harris' office to be careful that you don't trip over some of Chris Harris, Jr.'s, prized saddles and trophies. For those of you who are here at your first Pro Tem nomination ceremony, sometimes it is traditional for the nominator to compare the nominee to some great figure of the past. Being a former English teacher, I thought about comparing Senator Harris to some great literary figure: Jason in Homer's Odyssey comes to mind because he was a real tough guy. But in keeping with the times, I thought it might be more appropriate to think in movie terms. I thought The Patriot might be good because Senator Harris certainly loves his country, and I thought Gladiator was a distinct possibility because he is someone that I want on my side when I go into battle. I even thought about Walt Disney's Ferdinand, the bull that had an imposing stature that belied his gentle nature. But the movie that I thought might best capture the essence of Senator Harris' personality is one that coincidentally stars one of Austin's rising stars, it's Miss Congeniality. Senator Harris, if we took a vote today right here in this body, you would be my choice for Mr. Congeniality. Sandra Bullock has nothing on you, Senator. For those of you who don't share our good fortune in working side-by-side with Senator Harris, you might think that I'm having fun at his expense, but I'm not. I want to tell everyone gathered here in the Senate Chamber that Senator Harris is one of the most caring guys that I know. I know his reputation is one of a tough guy, and, make no mistake about it, Senator Harris is tough. He was a former high school football standout, a successful businessman, a lawyer, and a respected senior Member of this body, and those are not positions sought out by the weak. Weak is a word that should never be associated in the same breath with Senator Harris. He is a survivor, both professionally and personally. And his strength is not in his fist, but his strength is in his heart. Senator Harris, you are a lion with the heart of a teddy bear. You are a gentleman, a dedicated public servant, and a true family man. So, Mr. President, it is with great pride that I nominate Senator Chris Harris for President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. Thank you Mr. President. On motion of Senator Truan and by unanimous consent, the following remarks to second the nomination of Senator Harris were ordered reduced to writing and printed in the Senate Journal: Senator Shapiro: Thank you Mr. President. Mr. President, I rise to second the nomination of Chris Harris for President Pro Tem of the Texas Senate. It's really interesting that Senator Nelson and I have so much in common, and certainly our love of Chris Harris is one that we share as well. I will tell you that I found this to be no easy task, because I believe that when God created Chris Harris, He broke the mold. He is truly an antithesis of the cliché. I want you to know that as a former high-school English teacher I often told my students when they were writing themes to use clichés sparingly and only for emphasis. Well, I'm going



	Tuesday, January 9, 2001
		SENATE JOURNAL
	to break half of that rule right now. I'm going to talk about clichés extensively, but also still for emphasis. Chris Harris is one of a kind, there's no doubt about that. Chris Harris: his bark is much worse than his bite. He is the epitome of the cliché that you cannot judge a book by its cover and of the cliché that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He probably never met a man that he didn't like. Or is it that he never met a man he did like? I'm not sure sometimes. He certainly personifies the cliché, walk softly and carry a big stick. Or was it saunter loudly and carry a pack of cigarettes? Whatever the cliché, don't get me wrong, Chris Harris will tell you how the cow ate the cabbage in no uncertain terms. But, most of all, I want you all to know that Chris Harris has a heart as big as all outdoors, and that's no cliché, that is absolute fact. And in this family, this very important family of the Texas Senate, when all is said and done, when everything really comes down to it, truly, it really is what one's heart is that really matters in this great body. Chris, we're fortunate to call you our colleague, we're fortunate to call you our confidante, we're very fortunate to call you our friend, and now we're even more fortunate to call you President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. I know that you are up to this task my friend, for you are your own cliché. Senator Moncrief: Thank you very much Mr. President and Members. It's certainly a pleasure for me to rise for the occasion to second the nomination of Chris Harris for President Pro Tempore of this body. I think that it's in order to have a few adjectives to properly describe Chris, and I know you've heard some earlier, but just a few that come to mind are: quiet, soft-spoken, mild-mannered, even-tempered, lovingly referred to by his colleagues as sweetness. But I do want you to know that in addition to these adjectives I want to describe an individual that knows this system; he understands how it works. He's "House-broke" as we say over here. He's served in the Texas House, as was mentioned earlier, and he understands both sides of the rotunda and how important it is to interact. What you might not know is just how passionate he is about other issues, some of which have seldom had representation: the mentally ill, the mentally retarded. He's concerned about people in nursing homes, he's concerned about long-term care, he's concerned about the health of our children, he's concerned about children who are abused and neglected, and he's not afraid to use his voice or that big stick that we talked about to address those issues—doesn't always do it the way that some of us do, but he gets the job done. He's very fortunate to have a loving family. And that is the support group for us. It is so critical to know that that support is there. I am certainly honored, Mr. President and Members, to rise to second the nomination of a good friend, a colleague, a mutually strong voice for Tarrant County, Senator Chris Harris. Thank you Mr. President. Senator Barrientos: Mr. President, Members. I rise to second the nomination of my good friend Chris Harris for President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. I would add to the comments given by my colleagues that this is an honored man. Let me just tell you about the honors he has received, for example, from the National Child Support Enforcement Association. Congratulations, colleague. Honors from the Fort Worth and Dallas Chambers of Commerce. Good business. Honors from the Retired Teachers Association of the State of Texas. And I'll bet you didn't know this: honored by the Humane Society of North Texas, which goes right along with his favorite popular song right now, "Who Let the Dogs Out." My colleague attended Texas Christian University, where he did not play football. But,



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	seriously, Members, my fellow Texans, now and again comes a Texan to the floor of the Senate, a man who when you look at him you think what you see is what you get, buddy: honest, straightforward, tough, Texan, that's Chris Harris. Senator Nelson, comes to mind when you think about Chris Harris that if he had been a Democrat, his name would have been Francisco "Pancho" Villa. Villa was a Democrat. Seriously, my fellow Texans, we have seen what happens in our state and our country this year. Senator Harris, we are well prepared for you to be possibly the next Lieutenant Governor and possibly the next Governor of the State of Texas. I am proud to second your nomination, my friend. Thank you. Senator Ellis: Mr. President, I, too, rise to second the nomination of my good friend Chris Harris as President Pro Tem of the Senate. The great writer Machiavelli in The Prince tried to answer the question for us, whether it's best for a leader to be loved or feared. Chris Harris answers the question: we both love him and fear him. He is truly one of a kind, Senator Shapiro. Not only in the State of Texas, but in this body. And if there were two of him, God really would have to bless Texas. If you all think you had reason to be concerned at the end of last session when you made me President Pro Tem, you ain't seen nothing yet. On next Thursday afternoon when the current Presiding Officer of this body goes to Washington, D.C., and the current Governor of Texas will be in Washington, D.C., it will be the first day in the history of Texas that Chris Harris will be the Governor of Texas. His lovely wife, Tammy, who has been by his side for the better part of 24 years will be the First Lady of Texas, and I look forward to that day. I know that his parents, Jack and Jo Anne Harris, are not here today, but they did have a wonderful time on their cruise. Tammy, I understand your father, Floyd Allred, is here and we are so glad he's with us. I learned so much sitting beside Chris Harris on the Administration Committee. I learned that a man with a big heart and a lot of compassion could even slip bills on that Uncontested Calendar that Rick Perry and Bob Bullock had no idea, but had such a tremendous impact on the State of Texas. Chris, you are a master tactician, and I am so honored that you will be by my side as I and the rest of us in this body try and craft a budget, the first budget to take this state into the new millennium. Thank you very much. I'm honored to second your nomination. Senator Brown: Thank you Mr. President. I rise to second the nomination of my good friend Chris Harris from Fort Worth, Texas. Ladies and gentlemen, what you have seen here today is a little bit of history because you have seen six Senators get up on the floor without Chris Harris getting up to ask a question. That won't happen the rest of the session. A lot of the things that have been said about Chris, I'm not going to repeat. I will tell you that he did ask me yesterday that if I got up to say anything, would I say something nice. I was up all night last night. No, quite seriously, if you ever watch Chris Harris you know that he takes his work seriously—whatever committee he serves on, whatever bill he carries, he represents that issue with his heart and his mind and his soul. He loves his family, he loves the Texas Senate, and he loves his constituency, in that order. And I think that's a good order that Chris Harris has established. You've heard a lot of adjectives said about Chris and I guess the one, Senator Nelson, that you left out that I would like to be sure that everyone knows is that he has one of the



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	best vocabularies of any Member of this Senate. And he uses it quite effectively. For the Bible students in the audience who have looked at Ecclesiastes, and when they talk about ever questioning the wisdom of that book of the Bible, when Chris Harris becomes President Pro Tem it does demonstrate that there is a time for all things, and that is for Chris Harris to be President Pro Tem, and I'm proud to second your nomination. Senator Lucio: Thank you Mr. President, Members. I proudly rise as well to join my colleagues in seconding the nomination of our good friend Senator Harris as President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. I really thought about what I should say and the first thing that came to my mind is here we have one of the roughest, toughest, meanest, statesmen Texas has ever known, and I think that's the way the history books will write him up. I really don't know who I can compare him to. Some of us want to compare him to Grumpy of the seven dwarfs. I don't want to do that. I look at him as Mel Gibson as The Patriot, because of his love for Texas. I want to say that he is a true friend. He has a 100 percent voting record for the border in South Texas. I know that he and his lovely wife, Tammy, are frequent visitors of the border and I think we had a wonderful time in Matamoros not too long ago. We won't tell you how good a time we had, but we're here and the Valley is happy to know that he is back and in good health and that he will be entering battles with me and every time we enter one we are very successful. And that's really what the message is that I have today. When I've had to depend on someone on this floor to really support issues that are important not only for the border, but for the State of Texas, my good amigo Chris Harris has come through like a true champion. Chris, on behalf of the people that I represent, people of the entire border, muchas gracias por tu ayuda. Thank you. Senator West: Thank you very much Mr. President. I, too, rise to second the nomination of my friend Chris Harris. Let me just tell you a story to kind of give you an idea of what my colleagues have been saying about Chris Harris. I can remember my first legislative session, no it was actually the second. It was in 1995 when Texas was grappling with juvenile issues in the State of Texas. The question became, what would we do with juveniles that persisted in acting like adults. Toby Goodman in the House and Chris Harris here in the Senate had the lead in crafting legislation to deal with that particular issue. Chris, Tammy, I can remember sitting at a table right here, Mike, in this chamber when our committee, the Criminal Justice Committee, at that time was grappling with that issue. Chris Harris, true to form, presented a bill that was probably 110 or 120 pages. I think that we got the bill that Thursday prior to the hearing on that Monday. It was up to John Whitmire, who was the Chairman at that point in time, to kind of decide exactly what we were going to be doing with that particular bill. Chris began to lay out the bill and I began to ask him questions on page 1 of that bill. Then Chris said, "Hold up for a second, are you going to be asking me questions on each and every one of these pages?" I said, "Yes, that's my intention." He said, basically, what's the objective? I said, "Senator Harris, the objective is that we must look at prevention, and also intervention and incarceration." And, true to form, Chris said, "Senator, I agree." Chris and myself went back to the Lieutenant Governor's room and we crafted a bill that I believe and most Texans believe is fair to juveniles in



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	the State of Texas. When we presented that bill on the floor, Mr. President, Chris Harris and myself were joined at the hip. I believed at that point in time that we were invincible. I called him a teddy bear and he growled at me like that. But, Chris, you're still a teddy bear. But I also know, as many of my colleagues have said, he's a man of a great deal of integrity. The fact of the matter is, if he's with you, he's with you for the right reasons; if he's against you, he's against you for the right reasons. Don't cross him, as with other Members of this body. Because once you cross him, you will be on his bad side. I know for a fact that as we elect Chris Harris as President Pro Tempore, we do this body honor. He's truly a man's man and he's a true Texan, so I second his nomination as President Pro Tempore. Senator Whitmire: Thank you Mr. President and Members. It's a pleasure to get up and second the nomination. It's very fashionable today for all of us to be good friends, so I'm not going to ruin that at this stage. Let me say that I really don't know Chris Harris very well because he sits over there and I've been smart enough to leave him alone and not go over there. About the time that I thought I was getting courageous enough to go over there, but after what I've heard our colleagues mention, Chris, I'm still not going to get to know you because I'm going to stay over here and you stay over there. But, honestly, I know him quite well. I've had the opportunity to, I don't know if I was in his face or he was in my face, but several years ago he called me in on some budget matters and I want to publicly state how fair and even-handed he was with all of us. You know, there is nothing wrong with feeling strongly about an issue. I think some of the comments that you are hearing, expressing his earnest fight and his mood changes, is because he is so committed to what he believes in. I can only recall the hearing that we had in Arlington, in his District, on child support collections. You have never seen some state employees being held so accountable. In fact, at one point I thought I was going to have to tell them, "You can leave, you don't have to take this." It's because Chris feels so strongly about children in this state and single parents getting what is due them. I would suggest also in a very bipartisan fashion, he held Dan Morales' administration accountable, and I'm certain he will hold John Cornyn's administration accountable, and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I would suggest that we can all learn from it. Sometimes we get down here and get kind of a feel-good mood, where we are such friends, and we work with state agencies so much, that sometimes we get into a kind of feel-good mood and maybe not ask for the best. Chris never allows second-best to be accepted. Let me close by also mentioning, Chris, we recognize your commitment to your family. Many individuals in the public probably do not realize that we actually postponed by one week the selection of our Presiding Officer because Chris was so committed, had made plans not with just his immediate family, but also his mother and father to have a family trip for Christmas, so those are the kind of inner workings of the Senate led by Chris Harris that so often the public does not see. Let me mention the bipartisan facet, it's very popular, it's very fashionable to be bipartisan as we have seen in recent days. Chris, you have been practicing that for as long as I have seen you work here on the Senate floor. I sat on the Administration Committee with you last session; I never once saw any indication that someone's bills were being favored on the Local and Consent Calendar because of their party identification, no budget factors as far as expenses were ever impacted by a Republican or Democrat Member ever coming forward.



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	So I'm going to publicly tell you we need your leadership this session, and I'm very glad that you are going to be in the role that you're in this session. Thank you. Senator Zaffirini: Thank you Mr. President. Mr. President and Members, it is also my pleasure to rise to second the nomination of my very dear friend Chris Harris to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. Last session, as we closed our business, as we closed the last day of the last session, it was my pleasure to nominate my friend Rodney Ellis to serve as President Pro Tempore, a job which he performed exceedingly well. I remember so well quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Great men exist that there may be greater men." Today, as I second the nomination of Chris Harris, I will quote Attila the Hun. Attila the Hun wrote, "When Huns find themselves with a weak leader, they become confused and ineffective. Huns desire to be led well." We are not Huns, we are Senators, and we are your friends, Chris, as you so very well know. The fact that so many Democrats have seconded your nomination today proves your bipartisanship. I, for one, hold you in the highest esteem and have very great affection for you. I can say that in the presence of your wife, because I'm 54. I said that to Senator Sibley last night, and I said, were I 25 or 30, I would not say it, not even in the presence of your wife. But truly, you are a great leader, you are wonderful to work with, and many people don't know exactly what kind of role you have played in addressing so many important issues. For example, the role that you played in reforming adoption laws—assuring that children who are in foster homes who will never be reunited with their parents will have the opportunity to grow up in loving homes, being adopted by someone who can take care of them. That was impressive work, Senator. The fact that we passed anti-tobacco legislation and the tobacco lobby looked to you, Senator Harris, a smoker, for leadership, and didn't you surprise them, because you played a leadership role in helping the Members of this Senate pass anti-tobacco legislation, restricting minors' access to tobacco. Senator Harris, anyone who hasn't seen you smoke knows when they are next to you that you have been smoking. I assure you that we appreciate, in particular, your leadership in passing those bills. Today, Senator, it will be my pleasure to give you a second book. Last year on your birthday, I gave you a copy of Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun. As you assume your new duties, I will present to you, Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. Senator Harris, you will write a better book. I am proud to second your nomination. Senator Cain: Thank you Mr. President. Mr. President and Members, I rise to second the nomination of my good friend Chris Harris as President Pro Tempore of this body without quoting Attila the Hun or probably much of anybody else. But as one who has observed Chris Harris, or Chairman Harris, since he first arrived in the Texas House, I knew he was destined for a leadership role, just maybe not, Rodney, this particular leadership role, but it is one that you come well prepared for and I know you will do a good job. His dedication, his work ethic, his loyalty, are legendary, as is his great heart. He has done yeoman's work as Chairman of the Senate Administration Committee. I only hope and pray his successor can do as well. My first knowledge, my first memory of Chris Harris is in the old Senate Transportation Committee when he first arrived. He brought a bill to that committee that according to him, I had trouble, as Chairman, understanding. We weren't able for several weeks, maybe months, to set that bill. Chris Harris came early, he was there before the clerks came and he stayed



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	late. He sat on the front row and he smiled through that whole procedure and he smiled till finally the Members started asking, well, what bill does Chris Harris have, and should we not hear that bill? And guess what. It wasn't long till we not only heard the bill, passed the bill, put it on the Local and Consent Calendar, but we made him an honorary Member of the Transportation Committee and asked him to our banquet. That's the kind of man that he is. To sum up, if it's worth doing, Chris Harris will do whatever it takes within the rules to get it done. I am very, very proud to have him as my friend, and to second his nomination, Mr. President. Thank you. Senator Armbrister: Thank you Mr. President. Members, a couple of days ago, Chris paged me out of a very important meeting. I was watching about six bucks cavorting around out of a deer stand, but when I got the number I recognized it as Chris' number and gave him a call. He had a simple request. He said, "Listen, you and I were deskmates my very first term in the House of Representatives. You probably have known me longer than most, if not all Members of the Senate, and would you serve as part of the Nominating Committee?" Well, with Chris, you've got to read into those things. What he meant was, I'm probably the only one where the statute of limitations has now expired, and can't really say all those things that I do know about Chris. Chris, as you sit here listening—I know when it was my turn and all of our colleagues' turns, you sit here and you wonder, who is this that they are talking about? Once you are in the position, you really understand why we make these nominating and seconding speeches. It's because we look at our colleagues as a reflection of ourselves, in that we have seen the integrity that has been spoken of in you; we have seen the open heart that you have; we have seen the leadership that you have and that this body has. Up until this session, Members, a lot of us thought, well, as President Pro Tem, it's good for the back-home newspapers, to kind of wave that flag, that here I am, and all. Of course, this election cycle has taught us how really important that this position actually is and what it does mean for us to have the honor of selecting one of our own, as our Lieutenant Governor. And, of course, that honor continues in selecting one of our own and favorites to represent the Senate not only when the Lieutenant Governor and Governor are out of state, but to represent the Senate in all things and to speak for us as the body that you have and we represent. A lot of you talk about Chris' feelings and toughness and rawbonedness. I don't know of a guy, not a Member in here can't tell you, I know it'll embarrass the kids, but he brags on all the children, not just Junior and the exploits that we've seen of that young man. But we kind of say, his daddy didn't do much with him, we taught him how to ride that bare bronc. But Chris brags on all of his kids, he brags on Tammy and the personal strength that she has exhibited, not just throughout their marriage, but, of course, with her personal health problems and the courage that she took and stood for that. It is also a pleasure, Tammy, to be nominating you in this role. And to realize that we in the Senate all love both of you and your family. We've laughed with you, we've cried with you, because we do know you, because you are open to us, and you are family. Chris and Members, it is my pleasure to also stand and second the President Pro Tem of the Texas Senate, Chris Harris. On motion of Senator Truan, Senator Harris was elected President Pro Tempore by acclamation. The President declared that the Honorable Chris Harris had been duly elected President Pro Tempore of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, by acclamation.



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	The President appointed the following Committee to Escort Senator Harris and his party to the President's Rostrum: Senators Duncan, Brown, Ellis, Moncrief, Madla, and Armbrister. Senator Harris and his party were then escorted to the President's Rostrum by the committee. OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips administered the Constitutional Oath of Office to Senator Harris as follows: I, Chris Harris, do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the duties of President Pro Tempore of the Senate of the State of Texas, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State, so help me God. ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Senator Harris addressed the Senate as follows: Governor Perry, Lieutenant Governor Ratliff, statewide elected officials, my colleagues in the Texas Senate, their friends and family, and all our special guests today in the chamber, it is great to see you here. I want to give a special welcome to my wife and kids, and my other family members for being here with me today. I want to thank all of my colleagues for bestowing on me the great honor of President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. I know that it gives some of them pause to think that I am now third in line to run the State of Texas. I want to reassure them that I will handle these new responsibilities with the same grace and charm that won me the Mr. Congeniality award in the Texas Senate. I want to give a special thanks to Senators Zaffirini and Nelson for their friendship and for the very interesting book they gave me last session to help me refine my ways. It was titled Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun. I want them to know I have read it and will use its insights to make them proud. The office of President Pro Tempore reflects the traditions of the Texas Senate, and our support and recognition of the seniority system. When I came to the Texas Senate in 1991, I had the pleasure of entering with a man who epitomizes what is best in the State of Texas, a man who was dedicated and unwavering in his love and quest to do what was best for the State of Texas. Most of you know who I am talking about even though I haven't mentioned his name, but for those of you who don't, it was Bob Bullock. I think if he were here today, he would give me a slap on the back, say something nice (or maybe just say something), and tell me to get back to work. Even though he is now gone, the work remains. We face one of the most difficult sessions since I have been in the legislature. Nursing homes, teachers' health insurance, Medicaid reform, higher education, public education, air quality, retention of state employees, criminal justice, water issues, and roads are just a few of the many policy matters that are facing us. There is also the small issue of redistricting looming on the horizon.



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	I look forward to working with my good, long-time friend, Governor Rick Perry, in meeting all these challenges. Rick, I pledge to you that I will work with the same tenacity that earned us the name "junkyard dogs" on House Appropriations. I look forward to working with my good friend and new Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff. Bill, I told you when you won your job that I would do anything and everything in my power to help you make this a successful session, and that you could put me wherever I could be of best use to you. And, as you know, my word is my bond. I look forward to working with my old friend, Speaker Pete Laney. Pete, I feel that you and I are of the same mettle, and I want you to know how much I value this. Finally, I look forward to working with each Senator in this room, and pledge to give you my all this session. Yes, that's right, my all. Whether you want it or not. People have constantly asked me for the last year and a half whether the Texas Senate can maintain its bipartisanship during this redistricting session, and whether we can get the needs of the state addressed. They say the odds are against us. Most of these people looked up each of our names in a directory, and have categorized us as being 16 Republicans and 15 Democrats. But I know that even though we have our differences, when we walk into this Senate Chamber, we do not walk in as Republicans or Democrats, but as Texas Senators pledged to do what is best for our constituents and for the people of Texas. Based on this, I must admit that I like our odds. To close, I would like to end the same way Bob Bullock always did, but add to his closing. I think it is befitting to his memory and what he would want from each of us. God bless Texas. Only through hard work can we make it happen. APPRECIATION EXTENDED The President extended appreciation to Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips for his assistance in the opening session of the 77th Legislature. REMARKS ORDERED PRINTED On motion of Senator Truan and by unanimous consent, the following remarks by Senator Bivins were ordered reduced to writing and printed in the Senate Journal: Thank you Mr. President. Members, I felt strongly that we could not adjourn today without publicly recognizing maybe the most historic day in the history of the Texas Senate, December 28, 2000, when this body made history by electing you, Mr. President, our Presiding Officer. I think that we have chosen wisely and I think that your steady hand on the tiller and on the gavel will guide us well through this 77th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature. I would like to take this opportunity to ask my colleagues to rise and congratulate you publicly on your election as our acting Lieutenant Governor.



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	SENATE RESOLUTION 3 Senator Brown offered the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, That the Rules of the Senate of the 76th Legislature are adopted as the Permanent Rules of the 77th Legislature with the following modifications: 1. Amend Subsection (b) of Rule 7.10 to read as follows: (b) In any section of a bill or joint resolution that proposes to amend an existing statute or constitutional provision, language sought to be deleted must be bracketed and stricken through, and language sought to be added must be underlined. This requirement does not apply to: (1) an appropriation bill; (2) a local bill; (3) a recodification bill; (4) a redistricting bill; (5) a section of a bill or joint resolution not purporting to amend an existing statute or constitutional provision; (6) a section of a bill or joint resolution that revises the entire text of an existing statute or constitutional provision, to the extent that it would confuse rather than clarify to show deletions and additions; and (7) a section of a bill or joint resolution providing for severability, nonseverability, [~~emergency,~~ ] or repeal of an existing statute or constitutional provision. 2. Amend Rule 7.18 to read as follows: READING OF BILL ON THREE SEVERAL DAYS Rule 7.18. No bill shall have the force of a law until it has been read on three several days in each House and free discussion allowed thereon;[, ] but [~~in case of imperative public necessity (which necessity shall be stated in a preamble or in the body of the bill),~~ ] four-fifths of the House in which the bill may be pending may suspend this rule, the yeas and nays being taken on the question of suspension and entered upon the journals. (Constitution, Article III, Section 32) 3. Amend Rule 11.02 to read as follows: LIST OF STANDING COMMITTEES Rule 11.02. At the beginning of each regular session, the President shall appoint the following special and standing committees with the number of members indicated: SPECIAL COMMITTEE (1) Committee on Redistricting (8 members) STANDING COMMITTEES (1) Committee on Administration (5 members) (2) Committee on Criminal Justice (7 members) (3) Committee on Business and Commerce [~~Economic Development~~ ] (7 members) (4) Committee on Education (9 members) (5) Committee on Finance (13 [11 ] members) (6) Committee on Health and Human Services (9 [5 ] members)



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	(7) [~~Committee on Human Services (5 members)~~ [~~(8)~~ ] Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (7 [5 ] members) (8) [~~(9)~~ ] Committee on Jurisprudence (7 [5 ] members) (9) [~~(10)~~ ] Committee on Natural Resources (7 members) (10) [~~(11)~~ ] Committee on Nominations (7 members) (11) [~~(12)~~ ] Committee on State Affairs (9 members) (12) [~~(13)~~ ] Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations (5 members) 4. Amend Rule 11.20 by adding a new Subsection (b) and relettering the existing Subsection (b) as Subsection (c) to read as follows: (b) A committee chair may summon the governing board or other representatives of a state agency to appear and testify before the committee without issuing process under Subsection (a). The summons may be communicated in writing, orally, or electronically. (c) Except as provided by this rule, the provisions of Sections 301.024, 301.025, 301.026, and 301.027, Government Code, apply to a subpoena or other process issued under this rule. The resolution was read and was adopted by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. Absent-excused: Carona MOTION IN WRITING Senator Truan offered the following Motion In Writing: Mr. President: I move that the President be authorized to appoint a Committee to Notify the Governor and a Committee to Notify the House of Representatives that the Senate is organized and ready to transact business. TRUAN The Motion In Writing was read and was adopted by a viva voce vote. Accordingly, the President appointed the following Committee to Notify the Governor: Senators Nelson, Chair; Fraser, West, Lucio, and Sibley; and the following Committee to Notify the House of Representatives: Senators Staples, Chair; Ogden, Van de Putte, and Madla. STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES APPOINTED The President announced the appointment of the following committees for the 77th Legislature: ADMINISTRATION Cain, Chair; Ogden, Vice-chair; Brown, Moncrief, Zaffirini. CRIMINAL JUSTICE Armbrister, Chair; Whitmire, Vice-chair; Bivins, Moncrief, Ogden, Staples, West.



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	BUSINESS AND COMMERCE Sibley, Chair; Fraser, Vice-chair; Carona, Jackson, Lucio, Shapleigh, Van de Putte. SUBCOMMITTEE ON BORDER AFFAIRS Lucio, Chair; Shapleigh, Carona. EDUCATION Bivins, Chair; Zaffirini, Vice-chair; Cain, Nelson, Shapiro, Sibley, Staples, Truan, Van de Putte. FINANCE Ellis, Chair; Harris, Vice-chair; Barrientos, Duncan, Fraser, Haywood, Jackson, Lindsay, Lucio, Ogden, Truan, Whitmire, Zaffirini. LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Ellis, Harris, Shapiro, Whitmire. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Moncrief, Chair; Carona, Vice-chair; Bernsen, Gallegos, Harris, Madla, Nelson, Shapleigh, Sibley. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Madla, Chair; Lindsay, Vice-chair; Cain, Shapiro, Staples, West, Whitmire. JURISPRUDENCE West, Chair; Bernsen, Vice-chair; Brown, Duncan, Ellis, Jackson, Wentworth. NATURAL RESOURCES Brown, Chair; Duncan, Vice-chair; Barrientos, Bernsen, Bivins, Haywood, Lucio. SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE Haywood, Chair; Bernsen, Duncan. NOMINATIONS Nelson, Chair; Van de Putte, Vice-chair; Barrientos, Gallegos, Haywood, Lindsay, Wentworth. STATE AFFAIRS Shapiro, Chair; Truan, Vice-chair; Armbrister, Carona, Fraser, Gallegos, Harris, Madla, Shapleigh. REDISTRICTING Wentworth, Chair; Jackson, Vice-chair; Armbrister, Cain, Duncan, Ellis, Shapiro, Zaffirini. SENATE BILL AND RESOLUTION ON FIRST READING The following bill and resolution were introduced, read first time, and referred to the committees indicated: SB 197 by Cain Relating to the creation, purpose, implementation, and funding of the County Park Beautification and Improvement Program. To Committee on Administration.



	77th Legislature — Regular Session 1st Day

	SJR 8 by Cain Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to appropriations for the preservation and perpetuation of certain items of historical value; allowing the legislature and state agencies to accept on behalf of the state gifts of items of historical value and contributions to purchase such items. To Committee on Administration. SENATE RULES SUSPENDED (Posting Rules) On motion of Senator Cain and by unanimous consent, Senate Rule 11.10 and Senate Rule 11.18 were suspended in order that the Committee on Administration might meet and consider the following bill and resolution today: SB 197, SJR 8. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 3 Senator Truan offered the following resolution: WHEREAS, Section 17, Article III, Texas Constitution, provides that neither house of the legislature may adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other house; now, therefore, be it said. RESOLVED by the 77th Legislature, That each house grant the other permission to adjourn for more than three days during the period beginning on Thursday, January 11, 2001, and ending on Tuesday, January 16, 2001. The resolution was read. On motion of Senator Truan and by unanimous consent, the resolution was considered immediately and was adopted by a viva voce vote. ADJOURNMENT On motion of Senator Truan, the Senate at 1:28 p.m. adjourned, in memory of Philip Carona, uncle of Senator Carona, and in memory of the life of former Senator Gregory Luna, who died November 6, 1999, until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.