MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION
Wednesday, January 29, 1997
8:00 am
Capitol Extension, Room E1.016
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a meeting of the Senate Committee on Administration was
held on Wednesday, January 29, 1997 in the Capitol Extension,
Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Chris Harris None
Senator Carlos Truan
Senator J.E. Brown
Senator Mike Moncrief
Senator Kenneth Armbrister
Senator Bill Ratliff
Senator David Sibley
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:15 am. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Senator Harris directed the committee to look at the proposed
Administration Committee Rules. Senator Truan moved to
approve the Committee Rules. Senator Brown seconded the
motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
The next order of business was to take up and consider
requested committee budgets for the period of 1/14/97 through
8/31/97. Senator Truan assumed the chair and recognized
Senator Harris to present the budget for the Senate Committee
on Administration. Senator Harris moved to approve the
Administration budget of $96,667.50. Senator Moncrief
seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris resumed the chair and asked for a motion to
approve the budget for the Subcommittee on Agriculture.
Senator Truan moved to approve the Subcommittee on Agriculture
budget of $23,100.00. Senator Moncrief seconded the motion.
Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris recognized Senator Whitmire to present the
requested budget for Criminal Justice. Senator Whitmire asked
for approval to pay Patrick Redman, General Counsel for the
committee, $6,000.00 monthly. This was a revision from the
submitted budget, however the revision would not change the
total for salaries or the overall budget. The additional
money would be offset by the deletion of two (2) research
assistants. Senator Moncrief moved to approve the salary of
$6,000.00 for Patrick Redman. Senator Truan seconded the
motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays. Senator Truan moved to
approve the Criminal Justice budget of $188,500.00, as
revised. Senator Brown seconded the motion. Motion passed 7
ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the Economic
Development budget. Senator Brown moved to approve the
$194,500.00 budget for Economic Development. Senator Moncrief
seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for motions to approve the requested
salary for Mel Hazelwood and the requested budget for
Education. Senator Ratliff spoke to the qualifications of Mel
Hazelwood and moved to approve the $6,500.00 salary request.
Senator Truan seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0
nays. Senator Ratliff moved to approve the Education budget
of $142,600.00. Senator Truan seconded the motion. Motion
passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris recognized Senator Ratliff to present the
requested budget for Finance along with the request for
approval of a monthly salary of $5,200.00 for Nancy Frank.
Senator Truan moved to approve the salary of $5,200.00 for
Nancy Frank. Senator Moncrief seconded the motion. Motion
passed 7 ayes, 0 nays. Senator Truan moved to approve the
revised Finance budget of $216,566.00. Senator Moncrief
seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris recognized Senator Moncrief to present the
budget for General Investigating. Senator Moncrief presented
a revised budget for General Investigating. By unanimous
consent the budget for General Investigating was left pending
until additional information from the Lt. Governor was
received. Motion passed 6 ayes, 1 present not voting, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
Health and Human Services. Senator Truan moved to approve the
budget of $229,995.00 for Health and Human Services. Senator
Moncrief seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 ayes, 0
nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
Intergovernmental Relations. Senator Truan moved to approve
the $151,293.00 budget for IGR. Senator Ratliff seconded the
motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris recognized Senator Truan to present the
International Relations, Trade and Technology budget. Senator
Harris passed the gavel to Senator Armbrister and asked to be
recognized. Senator Harris moved, with Senator Truan's
consent, to approve a budget of $181,097.00 and leave the
balance of $6,103.00 pending until Betty King and the
Administration staff could clarify some questions concerning
maternity leave. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris resumed the chair and asked for a motion to
approve the budget for Jurisprudence. Senator Moncrief moved
to approve the $159,500.00 budget for Jurisprudence. Senator
Truan seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
Natural Resources. Senator Sibley moved to approve the
$158,250.00 budget for Natural Resources. Senator Truan
seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
Nominations. Senator Moncrief moved to approve the $73,760.00
budget for Nominations. Senator Truan seconded the motion.
Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for motions to approve the salary of
$6,000.00 for David Edmondson and the budget for Committee of
the Whole on Legislative and Congressional Redistricting.
Senator Truan moved to approve the $6,000.00 salary for David
Edmondson. Senator Brown seconded the motion. Motion passed
7 ayes, 0 nays. Senator Truan moved to approve the
$158,135.00 budget for the Committee of the Whole on
Legislative and Congressional Redistricting. Senator Brown
seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
State Affairs. Chair recognized Senator Armbrister to make a
revision in the submitted budget. Senator Armbrister omitted
the Committee Director's position, increased the General
Counsel's salary to $5,000.00, decreased staff attorney's
salary and added another research assistant position. These
changes resulted in a $944.00 a month decrease in salaries.
Senator Truan moved approval of the revised budget of
$192,575.00 for State Affairs. Senator Sibley seconded the
motion. The motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
Veteran Affairs and Military Installations. Senator Truan
moved to approve the $34,550 budget for Veteran Affairs and
Military Installations. Senator Brown seconded the motion.
Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris asked for a motion to approve the budget for
Subcommittee on Water. Senator Brown moved to approve the
$43,400.00 budget for the Subcommittee on Water. Senator
Truan seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Senator Harris stated that there had been several request for
additional computer based video equipment and wanted to remind
the members that the initial equipment bought and installed
was for a pilot program. The pilot program had five committee
members, Ms. King and Governor Bullock's offices installed
with the PC-based video equipment. The intention was to use
it through the 75th session, and then survey the test offices.
Senator Harris asked Jose Camacho, from the Lt. Governor's
office and acting chairman of the Senate Technology Group, to
come forward and give the committee an update on where the
Senate stands on computer equipment. Jose gave the committee
information about the high cost of the ISDN lines required for
the PC-based video equipment and the lease cost for the
equipment. He also informed the committee of equipment made
available, at no cost, that is set up in the Sam Houston
building for testing and available to all Senate offices to
use. Senator Harris asked if all the PC-based video equipment
budgeted for and purchased was being used. Jose responded in
the affirmative. Senator Harris also asked if it was true
that they were looking at and testing other video equipment,
other than the current equipment in the pilot program. Jose
responded in the affirmative and added that technology is
advancing so rapidly that there is a very good chance that the
Senate would change direction after the pilot program. Harris
asked if there were any additional funds budgeted for
additional PC-based equipment at this time. Jose stated,
that after Senator Harris had asked him to check on additional
funds, he had and not only are there no additional funds for
video equipment, but out of the additional fifty (50) Pentium
PC's computers bought there are only ten (10) left with three
(3) already spoken for and only a limited number of Optra
printers available. Senator Harris asked Jose to work with
Legislative Council and report back at the next meeting on the
chances of additional funds for equipment. In addition he
asked Jose to work with Betty King, GSC and DIR on additional
ideas for cutting cost for future video equipment.
Senator Harris recognized Senator Brown who moved to change #2
under Subscriptions of the SENATE POLICIES, Promulgated by
Senate Committee on Administration, by adding Member may
designate his/her hometown paper, as long as the newspaper is
within the Member's current district. There being no
objections, the motion is passed. #2 under Subscriptions
will now read One subscription for each district newspaper
(may be sent to a district office or Austin) except for
Member's hometown newspaper which may be sent to district and
Austin office. (Member may designate his/her hometown paper,
as long as the newspaper is within the Member's current
district).
There being no further business, at 9:30 am Senator Harris
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
_________________________ _
Senator Chris Harris, Chairman
_____________________
Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk