MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION
Wednesday, February 24, 1999
10:00 am
E1.714
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on
Administration was held on Wednesday, February 24, 1999 in
E1.714, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Chris Harris Senator Florence
Shapiro
Senator Frank Madla Senator John Whitmire
Senator Rodney Ellis
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 12:30 pm. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Florence Shapiro
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Harris laid out the minutes from 1/26/99, 2/1/99,
2/10/99 and 2/18/99 for approval. Senator Madla moved
approval.
Senator Harris passed the gavel to Senator Madla. The Chair
laid out SCR 6 and recognized the author, Senator Harris, to
explain the bill. Senator Harris explained that this SCR had
been left pending and the Governors staff was now happy with
it and was now ready for it to be voted out of committee.
Senator Harris moved passage. The motion carried with a
vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.
Senator Harris moved that the bill be recommended for
placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without
objection, it was so ordered.
The Chair laid out SB 494 and recognized the author, Senator
Harris, to explain the bill.
Senator Harris sent up a committee substitute; the Chair
recognized Senator Harris to explain the difference between
the committee substitute and the bill as filed. Senator Ellis
moved adoption of the committee substitute, without objection,
it was so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that SB 494 do not
pass but that CSSB 494 be reported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion
carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting,
and 0 absent.
Senator Harris resumed the chair. He asked if there were any
questions or discussion on any of the bills listed for
certification on the first Local and Uncontested Calendar.
Senator Ellis moved adoption. The motion carried with a vote
of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.
Senator Harris next brought up the issue of the monthly caucus
limit as set out in SR 1. There was discussion on how the
Committee wanted to handle members that were spending over the
monthly caucus and had no reserves built up. There was a
motion by Senator Shapiro to give the Chairman and committee
staff the discretion to start shutting a members' budget down
when it was reasonable for the Chair to believe that a member
could not bring his budget within the designated yearly caucus
limit. The motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 0 absent.
The next item on the agenda was a letter from Steve Collins,
General Counsel with Texas Legislative Council, with
recommendations for policy changes to safe guard the Senate
when dealing with contracts. It was decided that all leases
that the Senate is expected to pay will be sent to the
Director of Purchasing to be reviewed by Senate Research,
legal counsel or Texas Legislative Council. After contracts
or leases are reviewed, they will be signed by the Chairman
of Administration and/or the Secretary of the Senate.
Senator Harris directed the members to look at the list of
orders for State Directories, Legislative Handbooks and Lobby
Directories. There was discussion. Senator Ellis moved that
the Senate would pay for 1 State Directory and 1 Legislative
Handbook for every 2 FTE's (full time employees) and 2 Lobby
Directories in addition to the 2 free copies each office
receives. The motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0
present not voting, and 0 absent.
Senator Harris asked the committee what they wanted to do
about the temporary policy as to the number of guests on the
Senate Floor. There was extensive discussion. The decision
was to leave it as temporary policy for the next two weeks and
see how it works and for the Chairman of Administration to
continue to grant exceptions.
There being no further business, at 1:15 pm Senator Harris
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Chris Harris, Chair
______________________
Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk.