MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Monday, March 15, 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 Monday, March 15, 1999 in the Capitol Extension, Room
E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
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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
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The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
none.
The Committee resumed its markup session on the General
Appropriations Bill (Senate Bill 2) and worked on the
following:
Veterans Commission
Historical Commission
Commission on Human Rights
Incentive and Productivity Commission
Department of Information Resources
Library and Archives Commission
Pension Review Board
State Preservation Board
Office of Risk Management
Workers' Compensation Payments
Secretary of State
State-Federal Relations
The Committee adopted specific items included in the
Legislative Budget Board (LBB) markup document for each
agency. A formal vote will be taken on the adopted items at
the end of the markup process.
Action taken on items not included in the LBB markup document
includes the following:
During the markup session on the Commission on Human
Rights, Senator Ratliff directed agency staff to work
with Senators Barrientos, Truan and West to address
concerns of the Committee regarding inadequate funding
requests. Senators Truan and West asked the Committee to
defer consideration of this agency pending further
review.
During the markup session on the Department of
Information Resources, Senator Barrientos sent up and
moved adoption of a rider to give the agency authority to
reimburse advisory committee members for costs incurred
during participation on the State Strategic Plan.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
During the markup session on the Library and Archives
Commission, Senator Lindsay sent up a rider that will
create an endowed fund to aid public libraries in
facility construction and the purchase of books
contingent on the passage of SB 691 by Lucio. Senator
Truan asked that consideration of the rider be deferred,
pending tobacco discussions. Without objection, it was
so ordered.
During the markup session on the State Office of Risk
Management, Senator Gallegos sent up a rider that would
appropriate funds for additional workers' compensation
payments, contingent on the passage of SB 1324. Senator
Fraser moved to leave the item pending. Without
objection, it was so ordered.
Witnesses called on to answer questions of the Committee are
shown on the attached list.
There being no further business, at 5:40 p.m. Senator Truan
moved that the Committee stand recessed until 9:00 a.m.,
Tuesday, March 16, 1999. Without objection, it was so
ordered.
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Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair
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Patricia Hicks, Clerk