MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                  Subcommittee on Articles II and VIII Agencies 
                          Wednesday, February 18, 1998 
                                    9:00 a.m. 
                         Capitol Extension, Room E1.036 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Finance  
         Subcommittee on Articles II and VIII Agencies was held on  
         Wednesday, February 18, 1998 in the Capitol Extension, Room  
         E1.036, at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Jane Nelson, Chair              Senator Royce West 
         Senator Carlos Truan 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Chairwoman Nelson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.   
         The following business was transacted. 
          
         The Chair made opening remarks and called on representatives  
         from Articles II and VIII agencies to provide testimony and  
         answer questions of the Committee.  (All agencies submitted  
         written comments addressing committee charges prior to the  
         hearing date.)  Invited witnesses appeared as follows: 
          
              Shelia Bailey Taylor, representing the State Office of  
              Administrative Hearings, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Mike McKinney, representing the Health and Human Services  
              Commission, provided oral and written testimony. 
          
              Mary Sapp, representing the Texas Department on Aging,  
              provided oral testimony. 
          
              Terry Faye Bleier, representing the Texas Commission on  
              Alcohol and Drug Abuse, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Terry Murphy, representing the Texas Commission for the  
              Blind, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Barbara Martinez, representing the Texas Commission for  
              the Blind, registered as a resource witness but did not  
      
              testify. 
          
              Robert Palkard, representing the Texas Commission for the  
              Blind, registered as a resource witness but did not  
              testify. 
          
              Ernest Pereyra, representing the Texas Commission for the  
              Blind, registered as a resource witness but did not  
              testify. 
          
              David W. Myers, representing the Texas Commission for the  
              Deaf and Hard of Hearing, provided oral testimony (Ella  
              Anderson served as the interpreter). 
          
              Mary Elder, representing the Interagency Council on Early  
              Childhood Intervention, provided oral testimony. 
          
              William R. Archer, representing the Texas Department of  
              Health, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Patti Patterson, representing the Texas Department of  
              Health, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Eric Bost, representing the Texas Department of Human  
              Services, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Don Gilbert, representing the Texas Department of Mental  
              Health and Mental Retardation, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Jim Hine, representing  the Texas Department of  
              Protective and Regulatory Services, provided oral  
              testimony. 
          
              Max Arrell, representing the Texas Rehabilitation  
              Commission, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Emily Untermeyer, representing the Texas Cancer Council,  
              provided oral testimony. 
          
              Peggy B. Smith, representing the Children's Trust Fund of  
              Texas, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Janie Fields, representing the Children's Trust Fund of  
              Texas, provided oral testimony. 
          
         Chairwoman Nelson announced that the Committee will meet on  
         March 31, 1998 to discuss the interim report recommendations. 
          
         There being no further business, at 3:15 p.m. Senator Nelson  
         announced that the Committee will stand recessed subject to  
         the call of the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _______________________ 
         Senator Jane Nelson, Chair 
          
         _______________________ 
         Patricia Hicks, Clerk