MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Tuesday, March 16, 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 Tuesday, March 16, 1999 in the Capitol Extension, Room
E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Bill Ratliff Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Carlos Truan Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Mario
Gallegos, Jr.
Senator John Carona
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Mike Moncrief
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Royce West
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:05 am. There being
a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Ogden.
The Committee resumed its markup session on the General
Appropriations Bill (Senate Bill 2) and worked on the
following:
Supreme Court
Court of Criminal Appeals
Courts of Appeals
Office of Court Administration
State Prosecuting Attorney
State Law Library
Court Reporters Certification Board
Commission on Judicial Conduct
Judiciary Section Comptrollers Department
Judiciary - Special Provisions
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.
The motion made Senator Truan to adopt Items #1 and #3 (with
UB between years of biennium for all appellate courts) in the
Supreme Court's markup document, was adopted with a vote of 6
ayes and 1 nay (Senator Barrientos in opposition).
Action taken on items not included in the LBB markup document
includes the following:
During the markup session on the Office of Court
Administration, Senator Barrientos sent up a proposed
rider sponsored by Senator Zaffirini that will allow the
agency to cover the cost of fifteen special foster care
courts in the nine administrative judicial regions of the
State contingent on the passage of SB 1735. The item was
left pending.
Also during discussions on the Office Court
Administration, Senator West sent up a proposed rider to
create a student loan repayment program for assistance to
certain individuals who accept clerkships or temporary
attorney positions in the courts. The item was left
pending.
Senator West sent up a proposed rider to establish a
judicial internship program for Texas appellate and trial
courts. The item was left pending.
Senator West sent up a funding request for a Drug Court
Pilot Program that would fund four existing drug courts
in Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, Beaumont and Austin) and
create two additional courts in Conroe and Laredo. The
item was left pending.
Witnesses called on to answer questions of the Committee are
shown on the attached list.
There being no further business, at 1:10 p.m. Senator Ratliff
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair
______________________
Patricia Hicks, Clerk