Floor Packet Page No. 86
      Amend CSHB 1 as follows:
      (1)  On page XI-86, in Article IX of the bill, regarding the
General Provisions of the bill (Art IX), add a new rider to read as
follows:
      ____Appropriation for Land Purchase, Laredo.  The Texas
Public Finance Authority may issue revenue bonds or other revenue
obligations in an amount estimated to be $5.2 million to finance
the purchase of Mercy Regional Medical Center and specific parcels
of surrounding property owned by Mercy Regional Medical Center to
be used for housing state offices in partnership with state,
county, and local private partners. As provided by Article 601d,
Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes, in recognition that cost estimates
are not final at the time that the project is authorized for
financing and that bonds may be issued to fund associated costs,
including reasonably required reserve funds, capitalized interest,
administrative costs of the authority and issuing expenses, the
principal amount of any issuance of bond for this purpose may be in
an amount not to exceed one and one-half of the amount of the
expected cost for the project being financed. From the proceeds of
the issuance and sale of such bonds or obligations, such amounts as
may be necessary to fund the associated costs of issuance are
hereby appropriated to the Texas Public Finance Authority for the
fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 1999. From the remaining
proceeds of the issuance and sale of such bonds, such amounts as
may be necessary to fund any costs relating to the renovation of
Mercy Regional Medical Center are hereby appropriated to the
General Services Commission for the fiscal biennium beginning
September 1, 1999. The capital project authorized in this section
is not subject to the limitations on capital budget expenditures
included elsewhere in this Act.