MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
Tuesday, February 20, 2001
1:30 p.m.
Capitol Extension, Room E1.016
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Nominations
was held on Tuesday, February 20, 2001, in the Capitol
Extension, Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jane Nelson, Chair None
Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Vice Chair
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Jeff Wentworth
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Gallegos
Senator Van de Putte
Senator Wentworth
Senator Lindsay moved that the minutes from the previous meeting
be approved. There being no objection, the minutes were
adopted.
The Chair laid out the names of the nominees to the Texas
Commission for the Arts. The Chair announced that Idelle Rabin
and William Wright, nominees to the Texas Commission for the
Arts, would be left pending and that the committee would
reschedule their appearance for a future meeting.
The Chair recognized Senator Duncan to introduce Bobbe Crawford.
The Chair recognized Senator Lucio to introduce Laurie Lozano.
The Chair recognized Senator Barrientos to introduce Mary
Teeple.
The Chair introduced Claudia Ladensohn.
The nominees made opening statements and then responded to
questions by the members of the Committee.
At 1:54 p.m., Senator Lindsay moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Bobbe Crawford, Claudia Ladensohn, Laurie Lozano,
and Mary Teeple be confirmed to the Texas Commission for the
Arts.
Senator Van de Putte seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senator
Wentworth asked to be shown as voting aye. Without objection,
the motion carried.
The Chair laid out the nominees to the University of North Texas
Board of Regents.
The Chair recognized Senator Shapiro to introduce Roy Evans, Tom
Lazo, and Robert Nickell.
The Chair recognized Senator West to introduce Marjorie Craft
and Richard Knight.
The nominees made opening statements and then responded to
questions by the members.
At 2:19 p.m., Senator Haywood moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Marjorie Craft, Roy Evans, Richard Knight, Tom Lazo,
and Robert Nickell be confirmed to the University of North Texas
Board of Regents.
Senator Lindsay seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senators
Van de Putte and Gallegos asked to be shown as voting aye.
Without objection, the motion carried.
The Chair laid out the nominees for the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board.
The Chair recognized Senator Zaffirini to introduce Ricardo
Cigarroa.
The Chair recognized Senator Wentworth to introduce Raul
Fernandez, Cathy Green, and Gerald Griffin.
The Chair recognized Senator Barrientos to introduce Hector de
Jesus Ruiz.
The Chair recognized Senator Sibley to introduce Carey Hobbs.
The Chair introduced Terdema Ussery.
The Chair recognized Senator West for supporting remarks for
Terdema Ussery.
The nominees made opening statements and then responded to
questions by the members of the Committee.
At 3:51 p.m., Senator Lindsay moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Raul Fernandez, Cathy Green, Gerald Griffin, Hector
de Jesus Ruiz, Carey Hobbs, and Terdema Ussery be confirmed to
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Senator Van de Putte seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senators
Haywood and Gallegos asked to be shown as voting aye. Without
objection, the motion carried.
The Chair laid out the nominees for the University of Houston
Board of Regents.
The Chair recognized Senator Armbrister to introduce Morgan
O'Connor.
The Chair recognized Senator Gallegos to introduce Morrie
Abramson.
The Chair recognized Senator Brown to introduce Thad Smith.
The nominees made opening statements and responded to questions.
The Chair announced that consideration of these nominations
would be left pending to await a quorum.
The Chair laid out the nominees for the Texas State Technical
College Board of Regents.
The Chair recognized Senator Barrientos to introduce Elizabeth
Routh.
The Chair introduced Terry Preuninger.
The nominees made opening statements.
The Chair recognized Senator Lindsay to introduce Peterson
Foster.
The nominees responded to questions by the members of the
Committee.
At 4:24 p.m., Senator Wentworth moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Peter Foster, Terry Preuninger, and Elizabeth Routh
be confirmed to the Texas State Technical College Board of
Regents.
Senator Van de Putte seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senator
Haywood asked to be shown as voting aye. Without objection, the
motion carried.
At 4:25 p.m., Senator Lindsay moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Morrie Abramson, Morgan O'Connor, and Thad Smith be
confirmed to the University of Houston Board of Regents.
Senator Van de Putte seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senator
Haywood asked to be shown as voting aye. Without objection, the
motion carried.
The Chair laid out the nominees for the Board of Pilot
Commissioners for Galveston County.
The Chair recognized Senator Jackson to introduce Edgar Bircher,
Harry Brown, Elizabeth Iles, and Billie Pennings.
The Chair recognized Senator Lindsay to introduce Edward
Wilkinson.
The nominees made opening statements and then responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
At 5:02 p.m., Senator Wentworth moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Edgar Bircher, Harry Brown, Elizabeth Iles, Billie
Pennings, and Edward Wilkinson be confirmed to the Board of
Pilot Commissioners for Galveston County.
Senator Van de Putte seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senator
Haywood asked to be shown as voting aye. Without objection, the
motion carried.
The Chair laid out the nominees for the Texas Juvenile Probation
Commission.
The Chair recognized Senator Jackson to introduce Bettye "Betsy"
Lake.
The Chair recognized Senator Wentworth to introduce Lyle Larson.
Lyle Larson made opening remarks.
The Chair recognized Senator Shapleigh to introduce Carlos
Villa.
Bettye "Betsy" Lake and Carlos Villa made opening remarks.
The nominees responded to questions by members of the Committee.
The Chair announced that consideration of these nominations
would be left pending to await a quorum.
The Chair laid out the nominees to the Law Enforcement Officer
Standards and Education Commission.
At 5:24 p.m., Senator Wentworth moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Bettye "Betsy" Lake, Lyle Larson, and Carlos Villa
be confirmed to the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senators
Haywood and Gallegos asked to be shown as voting aye. Without
objection, the motion carried.
The Chair recognized Senator Ogden to introduce Joe Stivers.
The Chair recognized Senator Fraser to introduce Daniel Smith.
The Chair introduced William Jackson.
The Chair recognized Senator Bivins to introduce Lilia Escajeda.
The nominees made opening statements and then responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
At 5:50 p.m., Senator Barrientos moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Lilia Escajeda, William Jackson, Daniel Smith, and
Joe Stivers be confirmed to Law Enforcement Officer Standards
and Education Commission.
Senator Van de Putte seconded the motion.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senators
Wentworth, Gallegos, and Haywood asked to be shown as voting
aye. Without objection, the motion carried.
The Chair laid out the nominees to the Texas Commission on Human
Rights.
The Chair recognized Senator Staples to introduce Carroll
Maclin.
The Chair recognized Senator Lindsay who made a statement that
Mary Banks had to leave but that she would appear at a hearing
in the future.
Carroll Maclin made an opening statement and then responded to
questions by members of the Committee.
At 6:00 p.m., Senator Lindsay moved to recommend to the full
Senate that Carroll Maclin be confirmed to the Texas Commission
on Human Rights. The nomination of Mary Banks was left pending.
The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays. Senators
Wentworth, Gallegos, and Haywood asked to be shown as voting
aye. Without objection, the motion carried.
There being no further business, at 6:00 p.m. Senator Van de
Putte moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the
call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Jane Nelson, Chair
______________________
Cheri Huddleston, Clerk