MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Friday, August 7, 1998
10:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension E1.030
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a joint public hearing of the Senate Committee on
Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations was held on
Friday, August 7, 1998 in Capitol Extension E1.030, at Austin,
Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Bill Ratliff Senator Carlos Truan
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Kenneth
Armbrister
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. Senator Teel Bivins
Senator Mike Moncrief Senator J.E. Brown
Senator Jane Nelson Senator Judith
Zaffirini
Senator David Sibley
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator Royce West
*****
Senator Bill Ratliff and Representative Robert Junell served
as co-chairs. Chairman Junell called the meeting to order at
10:05 a.m. There being a quorum present, the following
business was transacted.
The Chair recognized Speaker Pete Laney to give opening
remarks on the purpose of the joint hearing on drought
issues. Chairmen Ratliff and Junell made additional opening
remarks.
The Chair recognized the following invited witnesses to give
expert testimony on the statewide impact of the 1998 drought:
Commissioner Rick Perry, representing the Texas
Department of Agriculture, provided testimony on the
agricultural impact of the drought.
Tom Millwee, representing the Division of Emergency
Management of the Texas Department of Public Safety,
provided testimony on the Drought Response and Monitoring
Committee.
State Comptroller John Sharp, representing the Office of
the Comptroller of Public Accounts, provided testimony
on the fiscal impact of the drought.
Senator Stephen Ogden, representing Senate District 5,
provided testimony on a drought recovery proposal.
Edward A. Hiler, representing the Texas A&M University
System, provided testimony on the drought responses of
the agriculture program of Texas A&M University.
Ronald D. Knutsen, representing the Texas A&M University
System, provided testimony on the drought responses of
the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
John Beverly, representing the Texas Agricultural
Experiment Station, registered as a resource witness, but
did not testify.
Carl G. Anderson, representing Texas A&M University at
College Station, registered as a resource witness, but
did not testify.
Chester P. Fehlis, representing the Texas Agricultural
Extension Service, provided oral testimony.
Travis D. Miller, representing the Texas Agricultural
Extension Service, provided oral testimony.
The Chair recognized the following state agency
representatives to provide testimony as follows:
John Baker, representing the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission, provided oral testimony.
Jeff Saitas, representing the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission, provided oral testimony.
George Bomar, representing the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission, provided oral testimony.
James Kowis, representing the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission, registered as a resource
witness, but did not testify.
Craig D. Pederson, representing the Texas Water
Development Board, provided oral testimony.
James B. Hull, representing the Texas Forest Service,
provided oral testimony.
Andrew Sansom, representing the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, provided oral testimony.
Dr. Earl Chilton, representing the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, provided testimony on the impact of
the drought in the Rio Grande.
Ron George, representing the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, registered as a resource witness, but did not
testify.
Dr. Jerry L. Cooke, representing the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, registered as a resource witness,
but did not testify.
Wayne Register, representing the Association of Texas
Soil and Water Conservation Districts, provided oral
testimony.
James K. "Rooter" Brite, representing the Texas Soil and
Water Conservation Board, registered as a resource
witness, but did not testify.
Gene Sollock, representing the Texas Soil and Water
Conservation Board, registered as a resource witness, but
did not testify.
James M. Moore, representing the Texas Soil and Water
Conservation Board, registered as a resource witness, but
did not testify.
Robert G. Buckley, representing the Texas Soil and Water
Conservation Board, provided oral testimony.
Paul Hammerschmidt, representing the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, registered as a resource witness,
but did not testify.
Hugh L. Stone, representing the Texas Soil and Water
Conservation Board, provided oral testimony.
Larry Paul Manley, representing the Texas Department of
House and Community Affairs, provided oral testimony.
Gus Garcia, representing the Texas Department of Housing
and Community Affairs, registered as a resource witness,
but did not testify.
Ruth Cedillo, representing the Texas Department of
Housing and Community Affairs, registered as a resource
witness, but did not testify.
J. "Al" Almaguer, representing the Texas Department of
Housing and Community Affairs, registered as a resource
witness, but did not testify.
Invited public testimony was provided as follows:
Bob Stallman, representing the Texas Farm Bureau,
provided oral testimony.
Tony Williams, representing the Texas Cotton Ginners
Association, provided oral testimony.
Bill Kubecka, representing the Texas Grain Sorghum
Association, provided oral testimony.
Lindy Patton, representing the Texas Boll Weevil
Eradication Foundation, provided oral testimony.
Alan Vander Horst, representing the Texas Association of
Dairymen, provided oral testimony.
Ed Small, representing the Texas and Southwestern Cattle
Raisers Association, provided oral testimony.
Bill Webb, representing the Texas Motor Transportation
Association, provided oral testimony.
Jerry Clark, representing the Dairy Farmers of America,
provided oral testimony.
There being no further business, at 4:15 p.m. Chairman Junell
announced that the Committee would stand recessed subject to
the call of the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair
______________________
Patricia Hicks, Clerk