MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                            Monday, January 25, 1999 
                                    2:00 p.m. 
                         Capitol Extension, Room E1.036 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was  
         held on Monday, January 25, 1999 in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Bill Ratliff                    None 
         Senator Carlos Truan 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos 
         Senator John Carona 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. 
         Senator Jon Lindsay 
         Senator Mike Moncrief 
         Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Royce West 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Chairman Ratliff called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m.   
         There being a quorum present, the following business was  
         transacted.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         none. 
          
         The Chair gave introductory remarks and welcomed new members  
         to the Senate Finance Committee.   
         The Chair introduced Committee staff and recognized John Keel  
         to introduce Legislative Budget Board staff.  
          
         The Chair briefed members on procedural matters including the  
         schedules for budget hearings and bill hearings.  The intent  
         of the Chair is to hold budget hearings Monday through  
         Thursday each week beginning at 9:00 a.m. The Committee will  
         meet throughout the day except when the Senate is in session.   
         Regular bill hearings will be scheduled on Mondays and  
         Thursdays at 9:30 a.m., subject to changes by the Lieutenant  
         Governor and the overall committee structure.  Members were  
         reminded that all Committee proceedings will be broadcast on  
         the internet. 
  
         The Chair announced that a Senate Finance Committee staff  
         briefing would be held on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 at 10:00  
         a.m. and that a weekly staff briefing would be conducted by  
         John Opperman, of the Lieutenant Governor's Office, for all  
         Senate staff interested in monitoring activities of the  
         Finance Committee.  
          
         The Chair laid out draft Committee Rules and asked members to  
         review them for adoption later in the week. 
          
         The Chair answered questions regarding other procedural  
         matters. 
          
         There being no further business, at 2:55 p.m., the Chair  
         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