MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION
Tuesday, May 26, 1998
8:30 am
E1.714
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, an open meeting of the Senate Committee on
Administration was held on Tuesday, May 26, 1998 in E1.714, at
Austin, Texas.
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MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Chris Harris Senator Carlos Truan
Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Mike Moncrief
Senator Bill Ratliff Senator J. E. Brown
Senator David Sibley
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The Chairman called the meeting to order at 8:55 am. Senators
Brown and Sibley were voting by letter with the Chairman.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
none.
Senator Harris began the meeting with the discussion of the
Senate's portion of the Texas Legislative Council's 97/98
budget. It was agreed that a total of 60 computers, a
combination of P.C.'s and laptops, would be purchased from
the 97/98 budget. These units could be purchased, tested and
available by July 1, 1998.
There was discussion about the possibility of a loaner pool
for P.C.'s and laptop computers. This would allow Senate
offices to have access to additional computers in times of
greater need but without the necessity of purchasing
additional computers for all offices. Betty King and Myra
Schmitt were given the task of developing a policy for this
process.
Senator Ratliff moved to purchase the software to provide the
ability to view a roll call vote from the laptop on each
senator's desk at a cost of approximately $3,000.00. The
senate roll call system is a product from International Roll
Call (IRC) and would be installed prior to the 76th session.
The motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays.
There was discussion of the pilot program with the Access
software vs the Groupwise Calendar being tested by several
offices. Texas Legislative Council will be conducting a
survey of the pilot offices for feedback. Several offices in
the pilot group are not using the product and the need to
include additional offices to test this product might be
necessary.
There was discussion about the Access program, developed by
Duration Software, currently being used by Senators Sibley and
Shapleigh. This program could be requested by Senate offices
that are not currently using LCS or by offices that are using
LCS and would like an alternative. Kay Huffman, from
Legislative Council, stated that this could be purchased,
installed and training provided by the end of this budget
year.
There was discussion about an imaging system. Testimony by
Texas Legislative Council staff was that TLC didn't have the
technical staff and time to launch a full scale imaging system
at this time. There was talk about hiring an independent
contractor to help with imaging. Senator Armbrister talked
about his Paper Port scanner and what he was doing with the
imaging technology his his office and asked Myra Schmitt to
contact the Department of Information Resources (DIR) to see
if they could help with resources and/or additional
information. The above options will be looked into and
reported back at the next meeting.
There was discussion on the telephone service for Senate
offices. Betty King and Myra Schmitt were given the task of
determining a policy for all ordering, purchase and
installations of phone systems.
Two new members were appointed to the STC group. Senator
Harris appointed Leah Erard from Senator Ratliff's office and
Jene Lanclos from Senator Brown's office as additional
members.
There being no further business, at 9:28 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, Chair
______________________
Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk