MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Thursday, May 1, 1997
12:00 pm
Capitol Extension, Room E1.036
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was
held on Thursday, May 1, 1997 in the Capitol Extension, Room
E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Bill Ratliff Senator David Sibley
Senator Carlos Truan
Senator Kenneth Armbrister
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Teel Bivins
Senator J.E. Brown
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Mike Moncrief
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Royce West
Senator Judith Zaffirini
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 12:35 pm. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
none.
At 12:40 pm Senator Truan assumed the chair.
The Chair laid out CSHB 1235, left pending from a previous
hearing, and recognized the author, Senator Ratliff, to
explain the bill.
Senator Ratliff sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.
Senator Ratliff requested unanimous consent to incorporate the
amendment into the committee substitute. Senator Ratliff then
moved that the new committee substitute be adopted; without
objection, it was so ordered.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HB 1235.
Senator Ratliff moved that HB 1235 do not pass but that CSHB
1235 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 1 absent.
Senator Zaffirini moved to leave the votes open on all bills
until a time certain set by the Chair in order for members to
come and go throughout the hearing; without objection, it was
so ordered.
At 12:43 pm Senator Ratliff resumed the chair.
The Chair laid out SB 1048 and recognized the author, Senator
Truan, to explain the bill.
Senator Truan sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved
adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on SB 1048.
Senator Truan moved that HB 1048, as amended, be reported back
to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent.
The Chair laid out HB 2170 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Armbrister, to explain the bill.
Richard A. Ratliff, P.E., representing Texas Department
of Health, registered on the bill but did not testify.
Senator Armbrister moved that HB 2170 be reported favorably to
the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Armbrister moved
that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out HB 2159 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Patterson, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HB 2159.
Senator Ratliff announced that HB 2159 would be left pending.
The Chair laid out HB 2116 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Brown, to explain the bill.
Gene N. Fondren, representing Texas Auto Dealers
Association, registered in favor of the bill but did not
testify.
Senator Brown moved that HB 2116 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Brown moved that
the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out HB 3231 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Brown, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HB 3231.
Senator Brown moved that HB 3231 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Brown moved that
the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out HB 3203 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Duncan, to explain the bill.
Don R. Richards, representing Agricultural and Utility
Cooperatives, testified in favor of the bill.
Tommy Engelke, representing Texas Agricultural
Cooperative Council, registered in favor of the bill but
did not testify.
Senator Ratliff announced that HB 3203 would be left pending.
The Chair laid out HB 3334 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Bivins, to explain the bill.
J. David Williams, representing Hale County State
Bank/Independent Bankers of Texas, testified in favor of
the bill.
Senator Bivins moved that HB 3334 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Bivins moved that
the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 1873 and recognized the author, Senator
Bivins, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on SB 1873.
Senator Bivins moved that SB 1873 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 3 absent. Senator Bivins moved that
the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out HB 138 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Bivins, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HB 138.
Senator Bivins moved that HB 138 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator Bivins moved that
the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair recognized Senator Wentworth for a report on the
Subcommittee on Tuition Exemptions.
The Chair laid out SB 1476 and recognized the author, Senator
Shapiro, to explain the bill.
Senator Moncrief moved that SB 1476 be reported favorably to
the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 1
present not voting, and 3 absent. Senator Moncrief moved that
the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 1440 and recognized the author, Senator
Wentworth, to explain the bill.
Senator Wentworth sent up a committee substitute; the Chair
recognized Senator Wentworth to explain the difference between
the committee substitute and the bill as filed. Senator
Wentworth moved adoption of the committee substitute, without
objection, it was so ordered.
Gerald Higgins, representing Comptroller of Public
Accounts, testified on the bill.
David Garlick, representing Texas Railroad Commission,
registered on the bill but did not testify.
Senator Wentworth moved that SB 1440 do not pass but that CSSB
1440 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 4 present not voting, and 2 absent.
The Chair laid out HB 197 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Duncan, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HB 197.
Senator Armbrister moved that HB 197 be reported favorably to
the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent.
The Chair laid out HB 1531 and recognized Senator West, in the
absence of the Senate sponsor, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HB 1531.
Senator West moved that HB 1531 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent. Senator West moved that the
bill be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested
Calendar, without objection, it was so ordered.
At 1:55 pm Senator Truan assumed the chair.
The Chair laid out HB 2201 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Ratliff, to explain the bill. Senator Ratliff sent up
a committee substitute; the Chair recognized Senator Ratliff
to explain the difference between the committee substitute and
the bill as filed. Senator Ratliff moved adoption of the
committee substitute, without objection, it was so ordered.
Jim Allison, representing County Judges and Commissioners
Association of Texas, testified in favor of the bill.
Galt Grayson, representing Vinson & Elkins, registered in
favor of the bill but did not testify.
Shanna Igo, representing Texas Municipal League,
registered in favor of the bill but did not testify.
John R. Kennedy, representing Texas Taxpayers and
Research Association, registered in favor of the bill but
did not testify.
Senator Ratliff moved that HB 2201 do not pass but that CSHB
2201 be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation
that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
vote of 10 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 3 absent.
Senator Ratliff moved that the bill be recommended for
placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar, without
objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out HJR 59 and recognized the Senate sponsor,
Senator Ratliff, to explain the bill.
No witnesses appeared for, against, or on HJR 59.
Senator Ratliff moved that HJR 59 be reported favorably to the
full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed. The motion carried with a vote of 12 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 1 absent.
There being no further business, at 2:15 pm Senator Ratliff
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair
______________________
Patricia Hicks, Clerk