MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                            Wednesday, March 24, 1999 
                                    9:00 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 Wednesday, March 24, 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, Carona, Gallegos and Moncrief. 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 706 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Ogden, to explain the bill.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         SB 706 was left pending until the Committee reconvened after  
         adjournment of the Senate. 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 719 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Lindsay, to explain the bill.   
          
         Senator West sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved adoption;  
         without objection, the amendment was adopted.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
  
         the attached list.   
          
         SB 719 was left pending until the Committee reconvened after  
         adjournment of the Senate. 
          
         The Committee recessed at 10:00 a.m. and reconvened at 12:30  
         p.m. 
          
         The Chair recognized Senator Ogden for a motion.  Senator  
         Ogden moved that SB 706 be reported favorably to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not  
         voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         The Chair recognized Senator Lindsay for a motion.  Senator  
         Lindsay moved that SB 719, as amended, be reported back to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present  
         not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator Lindsay moved that the bill  
         be recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 1065 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Fraser, to explain the bill.   
          
         Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are shown on  
         the attached list.   
          
         Senator Fraser moved that SB 1065 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         The motion carried with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present  
         not voting, and 0 absent.   
          
         The Committee resumed its markup session on Senate Bill 2  
         (General Appropriations Bills) and worked on the following: 
          
              Department of Agriculture 
              River Compact Commission 
              General Land Office and Veterans Land Board 
              Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority 
              Railroad Commission 
              Department of Economic Development 
          
         The Committee adopted specific items included in the  
         Legislative Budget Board (LBB) markup document on each agency.   
         A formal vote will be taken on adopted items at the end of the  
         markup process. 
          
         Action taken on items not included in the LBB markup  
         documents, included the following: 
         During the markup session on the Department of Agriculture,  
         Senator Duncan moved adoption of a rider for the Cost Share  
         Program for Boll Weevil Eradication.  The motion carried  
         without objection. 
          
         During the markup session on the Railroad Commission: 
          
              Senator Ogden moved adoption of a rider directing the  
              Commission to study the effectiveness of the state's  
              existing rules and regulations regarding the detection,  
              control and disposal of oil and gas naturally occurring  
              radioactive material (NORM) waste.  The motion carried  
              with the understanding that the LBB would modify the  
              language of the rider at the Chair's request. 
          
              Senator Truan moved adoption of a contingency rider  
              appropriating money in the competitive rail account upon  
              enactment of Senate Bill 628.  The motion carried without  
              objection. 
          
         During the markup session on the Low-Level Radioactive Waste  
         Disposal Authority, Senator Duncan moved adoption of a packet  
         of riders recommended by the Senate Natural Resources  
         Committee.  Action taken on the packet included the following:   
         adoption of a contingent appropriation for House Bill 1910;  
         adoption of a rider revision on Appropriation Limited to  
         Revenue Collections; the deletion of a rider on Limitation of  
         Expenditures; adoption of a rider revision on Closure  
         Contingency; adoption of a new rider on the Compact  
         Commission; and adoption of a new rider of Local Public  
         Projects. The motion carried without objection. 
          
         During the markup session on the Department of Economic  
         Development, Senator Truan moved adoption of a contingency  
         rider on the appropriation for Senate Bill 495: Office of  
         Defense Affairs and Texas Strategic Military Planning  
         Commission.  The motion carried without objection. 
          
         There being no further business, at 3:50 p.m. Senator Ratliff  
         announced that the Committee would stand recessed until  
         Thursday, March 25, 1999. Without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Patricia Hicks, Clerk