Committee Hearings - HB305/SB155

Public Testimony Review - March 18, 2003

The hearings in Austin went long but had a large turnout with significant favorable testimony for SB 155 and HB 305. Senator Zaffirini introduced SB 155 and Representative Puente introduced HB 305. The Senate Committee, chaired by Ken Armbrister, voted unanimously in favor of the bill out of their committee. Great News! Now it has to be voted out of the House Com. chaired By Hilderbran. (View the video archive for SB 155, starting about 1:33:55).

One unexpected twist came from Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson who testified that he had a problem with the constitutionality with the bill in that it denied off-road recreationists their right to use the rivers as they choose.

There most likely will be another hearing before the House Committee next week.

Those present included: From the Nueces River Stewards: Con Mims, Sky Lewey (also NRA), Reagan Houston, Brian Houston, Allan Bloxsom, Allen Mize, Sage Kawecki , Raynice and John Shudde, Susan Lynch, Wright Friday, Tom Taylor, Jim Woodward, Charles Draper, Roy Hewett and Jeannie Dullnig. Others speaking for the bills were Susan Combs, Tom Goynes, (TRPA), Terry Austin (Texas Audubon), David Langford (TWA) and Kirby Brown(TWA), Diane Wassenich (SMURF), Brian Sybert (Sierra Club), Sam Center( TPW). From the Llano River, Leo Perron, John Robinson, several from Coleto Creek, and Stephen Salmon of Riverside and Landowners' Protection Coalition.

Notification Announcement

This Tuesday, March 18, committees in both the Texas House and the Texas Senate will hold hearings regarding the 4X4 bill. Then on Wednesday, March 19 the TCEQ will decide the fate of the SMRF permit. Here are the details:

Senate Natural Resources (will hear SB155)
March 18, 2003
1:00 or upon adjournment
E1.012

House State Cultural and Recreational Resources (will hear hb305)
March 18, 2003
2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment
E2.014

If you've never been to one of these hearings, the procedure is quite simple. You show up, fill in a card telling whether you are for or against the bill, and let them know whether you will want to testify. If you can just show up and fill in a card that would be very helpful (the legislators like to know how many people bothered to show up for the hearing and what position they took).

If you testify, keep your remarks brief and to the point. Legislators generally don't want to hear you read them your testimony. If you have your testimony in writing you can just hand it to them (or give about ten copies to the clerk) and then make a brief statement summarizing what you wrote.

The E rooms are in the new underground section of the capitol. I would recommend showing up early to get in line to testify and to see if the hearing has been moved to a larger room.

Plan to stay for a while, if you want to testify. They may not even start the hearing until late (i.e. adjournment).