MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Wednesday, February 3, 1999
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 Committee on Finance was
held on Wednesday, February 3, 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
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
Senators Barrientos, Gallegos, Ogden and West.
The Chair laid out SB 290 and recognized the author, Senator
Brown, to explain the bill.
Senator Fraser sent up a committee substitute. The Chair
recognized Senator Brown to explain the difference between the
committee substitute and the bill as filed. Senator Fraser
moved adoption of the committee substitute, without objection,
it was so ordered.
Charles R. Matthews, representing the Texas Railroad
Commission, testified on the bill.
Richard Lavine, representing the Center for Public Policy
Priorities, testified in opposition to the bill.
Ben Sebree, representing the Texas Oil and Gas
Association, registered in favor of the bill but did not
testify.
Alex Mills, representing North Texas Oil and Gas
Association, registered in favor of the bill but did not
testify.
Steve Montgomery, representing Union Pacific Resources,
registered in favor of the bill but did not testify.
Tony Garza, representing the Texas Railroad Commission,
registered on the bill but did not testify.
Michael L. Williams, representing Texas Railroad
Commission, registered on the bill but did not testify.
Senator Fraser moved that SB 290 do not pass but that CSSB 290
be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it
do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a vote of 9
ayes, 0 nays, 2 present not voting, and 0 absent.
The Chair recognized the following to provide testimony on
Legislative Budget Board (LBB) recommendations:
Texas Supreme Court
Dominic Giarratani, LBB
Thomas R. Phillips, Chief Justice
Registering, but not testifying:
Nathan L. Hecht, Justice
William L. Willis, staff resource
David Hodges, County Court-at-Law Judge
Court of Criminal Appeals
Dominic Giarratani, LBB
Michael J. McCormick, Judge
Judicial Committee on Information Technology
Peter Vogel, Lawyer
Lamar McCorkle, Judge, 133rd District Court
Bob Wessels, Harris County Court Manager
Registering, but not testifying:
Denise Davis, Director, Texas Judicial Council
Doug Rybacki, Deputy Administrative Director, Office of
Court Administration
Sharon Keller, Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals
Courts of Appeal
Dominic Giarratani, LBB
Michael Schneider, 1st Court of Appeals
John Cayce, 2nd Court of Appeals
Phil Hardberger, 4th Court of Appeals
Linda Thomas, 5th Court of Appeals
William J. Cornelius, 6th Court of Appeals
John T. Boyd, 7th Court of Appeals
Richard Barajas, 8th Court of Appeals
Ronald L. Walker, 9th Court of Appeals
Rex Davis, 10th Court of Appeals
Bud Arnot, 11th Court of Appeals
Tom B. Ramsey, Jr., 12th Court of Appeals
Robert Seerden, 13th Court of Appeals
Paul Murphy, 14th Court of Appeals
John J. Specia, Jr., Committee on Court Funding
David Hodges, Committee on Court Funding
Registering, but not testifying:
Marilyn Aboussie, 3rd Court of Appeals
Office of Court Administration
Dominic Giarratani, LBB
Jerry L. Benedict, Director
Registering, but not testifying:
John J. Specia, Jr., Judge, 22th District Court
State Prosecuting Attorney's Office
John Newton, LBB
Matthew Paul, State Prosecuting Attorney
Pamela McLemore, staff resource
State Law Library
Megan Goode, LBB
Kay Schlueter, Director
Court Reporters Certification Board
Megan Goode, LBB
Peg Liedtke, Executive Secretary
Sid Harle, District Judge
State Commission on Judicial Conduct
John Newton, LBB
Robert Flowers, Executive Director
Bud Arnot, Commissioner
Judiciary Section, Comptroller's Department
Dominic Giarratani, LBB
Arthur C. Eads, District Attorney, Bell County
Latham Boone, III, Special Prison Prosecution Unit
Chuck Demos, Comptroller's Judiciary
Ronald Earle, Travis County District Attorney's Office
Steve McCleery, Travis County District Attorney's Office
Mark Edwards, District Attorney
James Carruth, Travis County District Attorney's Office
Funeral Service Commission
Cassandra Burke, LBB
C. David Richards, III, General Counsel
John Q. Taylor King, Sr., Board Member
B.J. Miller, staff resource
Registering, but not testifying:
Marty Rhymes, Board Member
There being no further business, at 4:15 p.m. Senator Ratliff
announced that the Committee would stand recessed until 9:00
a.m.Thursday, February 4, 1999. Without objection, it was so
ordered.
______________________
Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair
______________________
Patricia Hicks, Clerk