House Committee on Appropriations
75th Legislature
February 17, 1997
8:00 am
Capitol Extension, E1.030
Pursuant to a notice posted on February 6, 1997, the House
Committee on Appropriations met in a public hearing and was
called to order by the Chair, Representative Robert Junell at
8:07 am.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Junell; Delisi; Averitt; Coleman;
Cuellar; Davis; Eiland; Finnell; Gallego; Glaze;
Greenberg; Haggerty; Heflin; Hernandez; Hochberg;
Kubiak; Pitts; Price; Raymond; Swinford; Tillery;
Turner, Sylvester; Walker; West, George "Buddy"
(24).
Absent: Representatives Hinojosa; Moreno; Mowery (3).
A quorum was present.
Agriculture, Department of
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
(Representative Mowery now present.)
Representative Kubiak moves to adopt LBB as amended.
Representative Kubiak moves to adopt technical correction to
Yardage Fees rider 2. Representative Kubiak moves to
reinstate Earned Federal funds rider 10. Representative
Kubiak moves to adopt the change to the Yardage Fees rider 2,
allowing unexpended balance authority. Representative Kubiak
moves to adopt the change in agency's output measure. Motion
adopted.
Animal Health Commission
Chairman Junell moves to leave the agency pending until Dr.
Beals is present.
General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Davis moves to adopt LBB with pending items and
as amended. Adjust for technical correction. Add rider
appropriating all receipts. Add rider for emergency response.
Restore old rider 6. Add the following to Article XI; restore
old rider 17, add $500,00 for PSF suits, and add coastal
protection rider (option B). Motion is adopted.
Animal Health Commission
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Heflin moves to adopt LBB as amended. Add
technical correction. Add funding for TB management,
Pseudorabies, and Equine Infectious Anemia Program to Article
XI. The motion was adopted.
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
(Representative Moreno now present.)
Representative Heflin moves to leave the agency pending for
further consideration by the subcommittee.
At 9:50 am, on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was recessed until 11:00 am or upon adjournment.
House Committee reconvened at 11:20 am.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Junell; Delisi; Cuellar; Davis;
Eiland; Finnell; Gallego; Glaze; Greenberg; Heflin;
Hernandez; Hochberg; Moreno; Mowery; Price; Raymond;
Swinford; Tillery; Turner, Sylvester; Walker; West,
George "Buddy" (21).
Absent: Representatives Averitt; Coleman; Haggerty;
Hinojosa; Kubiak; Pitts; (6).
A quorum was present.
Natural Resource Conservation Commission
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
(Representative Pitts now present.)
(Representative Coleman now present.)
(Representative Kubiak now present.)
At 12:00 pm, on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was recessed until February 17, 1997 at 1:30 pm.
House Committee on Appropriations reconvened at 1:35 pm.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Junell; Delisi; Cuellar; Davis;
Glaze; Greenberg; Haggerty; Heflin; Kubiak; Moreno;
Mowery; Pitts; Raymond; Swinford; Tillery; Walker;
West, George "Buddy" (17).
Absent: Representatives Averitt; Coleman; Eiland; Finnell;
Gallego; Hernandez; Hinojosa; Hochberg; Price;
Turner; (10).
A quorum was present.
Natural Resource Conservation Commission (Cont'd)
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Heflin moves to adopt LBB with pending items
and as amended. Add technical adjustment on Hazardous and
Solid Waste Receipts. Technical adjustment on Rider 8.
Reinstate old Rider 14. Amend Capitol Budget rider. Amend
riders 15 and 20. Make a technical correction on rider 9. Add
the following to Art. XI; funding options for water related
programs, Laredo field office, and an increase in D.1.3.,
Support Services. Add contingency appropriation rider for
NPDES. Add new rider by Greenberg, et.al. The motion was
adopted.
(Representatives Gallego and Hochberg now present.)
(Representatives Eiland and Finnell now present.)
(Representative Hernandez now present.)
(Representative Turner, Sylvester now present.)
Parks and Wildlife Department
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Raymond moves to adopt LBB as amended. Add new
rider on inmate labor. Add the following to Article XI: a
rider to appropriate balances and receipts and a rider
appropriating excess unclaimed motorboat fuels tax refund.
Add funds transfer rider by Raymond. The motion was adopted.
(Representative Price now present.)
Railroad Commission
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Raymond to moves to adopt LBB budget as
amended. Make 2 technical corrections. Add Raymond rider on
oil field cleanup. Add Raymond rider on UB for AFRED account.
Add Raymond rider on capital budget rider. Amend bill pattern
to reflect FTE and $1 million reduction. Add $1 million to
surface mining strategy, A.2.1. Add the following to Article
XI: Add $539,107 to surface mining strategy, A.2.1., and a
rider to appropriate TERRA fund balances. The motion was
adopted.
River Compact Commissions
Representative Finnell moves to adopt LBB. The motion was
adopted.
Soil and Water Conservation Board
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Finnell moves to adopt LBB budget with
technical correction and the following added to Article XI:
$3,940,858 for district conservation plan development and
brush control program for $5 million. The motion was adopted.
Water Development Board
Testimony was taken. See attached witness list.
Representative Davis moves to adopt LBB budget as amended.
Make technical adjustment. Fund DWSRF. Add funds for stream
flow measuring. Shift MOF for FTE's. Amend rider authorizing
cost recovery. Add new Davis rider on capital and Swinford
rider on river basins. The motion was adopted.
Chairman Junell leaves the agency open for consideration for
future discussion on Colonias.
Debt Service Payments
Representative Davis moves to adopt the LBB pattern. The
motion was adopted.
Special Provisions Relating to Natural Resources
Representative Davis moves to adopt LBB pattern. The motion
was adopted.
Commerce, Texas Department of
Representative Swinford moves to adopt the LBB budget as
amended. Add the following to Article XI: authority to use
fund balances in two dedicated accounts, and funding to assist
defense-dependent communities. Add a Delisi rider on base
closure. Add Swinford rider on Smart Jobs funding. The
motion was adopted.
Lottery Commission, Texas
Representative Raymond moves to adopt the LBB budget with
pending items and as amended. Add Raymond rider transferring
Lottery funds to the Compulsive Gambling Hotline. Add Raymond
rider capping Lottery advertising for the biennium at $80
million.
At 7:15 pm, on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was recessed until February 17, 1997 at 8:15 pm
at which time the committee will reconvene in a working
session.
The House Committee on Appropriations reconvened at 8:25 pm in
a working session.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representative Junell; Delisi; Averitt; Coleman;
Cuellar; Davis; Eiland; Finnell; Gallego; Glaze;
Greenberg; Haggerty; Heflin; Hernandez; Hochberg;
Kubiak;Mowery; Pitts; Price; Raymond; Swinford;
Tillery; Turner, Sylvester; Walker; West, George
"Buddy" (25).
Absent: Representatives Hinojosa; Moreno (2).
A quorum was present.
The Committee discussed agency budgets.
At 10:00 pm, on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
______________________ ______________________
Rep. Robert Junell, Chair Janis Carter, Clerk