MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                  Interim Subcommittee on Article III Agencies 
                            Wednesday, March 25, 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 Article III Agencies was held on Wednesday,  
         March 25, 1998 in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at  
         Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Mike Moncrief, Chair            Senator Judith  
         Zaffirini 
         Senator J.E. Brown 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Chairman Moncrief called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.   
         The following business was transacted.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         None. 
          
         The Chair recognized Andrea Claire, of the State Auditor's  
         Office, to provide a briefing on agency responses to the  
         performance measures survey requested by Senator Ratliff and  
         Representative Junell. 
          
         The Chair called on representatives from Article III agencies  
         to provide testimony and answer questions of the committee  
         regarding interim charges.  (All agencies submitted written  
         comments prior to the hearing date.)  Witnesses appeared as  
         follows: 
          
              Mike Moses, representing the Texas Education Agency,  
              provided oral and written testimony. 
          
              Bill Monroe, representing the Texas Education Agency,  
              provided oral testimony. 
          
              Joe Wisnoski, representing the Texas Education Agency,  
              provided oral testimony. 
          
              Mark Littleton, representing the State Board for Educator  
              Certification, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Dan Junell, representing the State Board for Educator  
              Certification, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Barry Alaimo, representing the State Board for Educator  
              Certification, registered as a resource witness, but did  
              not testify. 
          
              Phil Hatlen, representing the Texas School for the Blind  
              and Visually Impaired, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Barney Schulz, representing the Texas School for the  
              Blind and Visually Impaired, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Kenneth Miller, representing the Texas School for the  
              Blind and Visually Impaired, registered as a resource  
              witness, but did not testify. 
          
              Susan Houghtling, Texas School for the Blind and Visually  
              Impaired, registered as a resource witness, but did not  
              testify. 
          
              Claire Bugen, representing the Texas School for the Deaf,  
              provided oral and written testimony. 
          
              Jim Smith, representing the Texas School for the Deaf,  
              provided oral testimony. 
          
              Arnold Viramontes, representing the Telecommunications  
              Infrastructure Fund Board, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Gwen Stafford, representing the Telecommunications  
              Infrastructure Fund Board, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Rhonda Hill, representing the Telecommunications  
              Infrastructure Fund Board, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Charles Dunlap, representing the Teacher Retirement  
              System, provided oral and written testimony. 
          
              Ronnie Jung, representing the Teacher Retirement System,  
              registered as a resource witness, but did not testify. 
          
              Edward Hiler, representing the Texas A&M University  
              System and agencies of the agriculture program, provided  
              oral testimony. 
          
              John Beverly, representing the Texas Agricultural  
              Experiment Station, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Chester P. Fehlis, representing the Texas Agricultural  
              Extension Service, provided oral testimony. 
  
              Gary Nunley, representing the Texas Wildlife Damage  
              Management Service (formerly the Animal Damage Control  
              Service), provided oral testimony. 
          
              James B. Hull, representing the Texas Forest Service,  
              provided oral testimony. 
          
              Tom Boggus, representing the Texas Forest Service,  
              registered as a resource witness, but did not testify. 
          
              Konrad Eugster, representing the Texas Veterinary Medical  
              Diagnostic Laboratory, provided oral testimony. 
          
              C. Roland Haden, representing the Texas Engineering  
              Experiment Station, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Carol J. Cantrell, representing the Texas Engineering  
              Experiment Station, registered as a resource witness, but  
              did not testify. 
          
              G. Kemble Bennett, representing the Texas Engineering  
              Extension Service, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Arturo Alonzo, representing the Texas Engineering  
              Extension Service, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Don Bugh, representing the Texas Transportation  
              Institute, provided oral testimony. 
          
              Robert V. Avant, Jr., representing the Texas Food and  
              Fibers Commission, provided oral and written testimony. 
          
         The Chair asked if there was anyone present who wished to  
         testify on any of the Article III agencies.  There was no one  
         present who wished to provide public testimony. 
          
         There being no further business, at 12:05 p.m., Senator  
         Moncrief announced that the Committee would stand recessed  
         subject to the call of the Chair.  Without objection, it was  
         so ordered.   
          
         _________________________ 
         Senator Mike Moncrief, Chair 
          
         _________________________ 
         Patricia Hicks, Clerk