04/01/1997 02:20 PM Senate STA

                HB  65 PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTIONS                                
                                                                              
  CHAIRMAN LYDA GREEN  called the Senate State Affairs Committee               
 meeting to order at 2:20 p.m.  Present were Senators Green, Ward,             
 Miller and Duncan.  The first order of business before the                    
 committee was HB 65, introduced by Representative Kott.  Chair                
 Green stated committee packets contained a great deal of                      
 information on the bill, and because repeated testimony has been              
 heard in House committees and on Gavel to Gavel, she did not intend           
 to take further public testimony on HB 65, but to move the bill.              
                                                                               
  SENATOR WARD  moved HB 65 and its accompanying fiscal notes out of           
 committee with individual recommendations.                                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR DUNCAN  objected to the motion and stated the purpose of             
 standing committees is to review legislation and take public                  
 testimony to hear the public's view as well as the Administration's           
 view.  He expressed concern about the lack of a public process that           
 is occurring on major pieces of legislation in the Senate State               
 Affairs Committee and emphasized the importance of taking                     
 testimony.                                                                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR WARD  responded he has been following the legislation for            
 some time and has heard enough about it.  He called for the                   
 question.                                                                     
                                                                               
  SENATOR DUNCAN  said the purpose of a committee hearing and public           
 testimony is not solely for the benefit of committee members.  He             
 added there may be members of the public who did not have the                 
 opportunity to testify in the House committees.  He did not feel it           
 is acceptable for committee members to not take public testimony              
 because they have made up their minds.                                        
                                                                               
 A roll call vote was taken.  Senators Ward, Green and Miller voted            
 in favor of HB 65, Senator Duncan voted against the measure, and              
 Senator Mackie abstained from voting.  The motion to move HB 65               
 from committee carried.