MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                             Thursday, April 1, 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 Thursday, April 1, 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, Duncan, Fraser, Gallegos and Lindsay. 
          
         The  Committee  resumed  its markup session on Senate Bill 2  
         (General Appropriations Bill) and worked on the following: 
          
              Department of Transportation Pending Issues 
              School for the Deaf 
              Texas Education Agency 
              State Board of Educator Certification 
              School for the Blind and Visually Impaired 
              School for the Blind and School for the Deaf - Special  
         Provisions 
              Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board 
          
         The Committee adopted specific items included in the  
         Legislative Budget Board (LBB) markup document on each agency.   
         A formal vote will be taken on the adopted items at the end of  
         the markup process. 
          
         The Committee took action on items not included in the LBB  
  
         markup document.  Action requiring a record vote included the  
         following: 
          
              Senator Ogden moved adoption of a rider intended to  
              provide assistance to counties with exceptionally low per  
              capita taxable property values by allowing the Department  
              of Transportation to lower the percentage of  
              participation by counties in the financing of roads in  
              the state system.  With a vote of 5 ayes and 5 nays, the  
              motion failed adoption. 
          
              Senator Ogden sent up a contingency rider that would  
              direct the Department of Transportation to expend a  
              certain amount of appropriated funds to provide financial  
              assistance to counties to repair county roads damaged as  
              a result of legally permitted overweight truck traffic  
              (2060 permits), contingent on whether the statutory  
              allocation of the state's gasoline tax revenues remain  
              the same as in the current biennium, or is reduced.   
              Senator Truan moved to amend the rider allowing $25  
              million for the biennium with the understanding that a  
              report be submitted to the Legislature; without objection  
              it was so ordered.  Senator Ogden moved adoption of  the  
              contingency rider as amended.  The motion passed with a  
              vote of 8 ayes, 2 nays, and 1 present not voting. 
          
         Witnesses called on to answer questions of the Committee are  
         shown on the attached list. 
          
         There being no further business, at 2:30 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