MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERAN AFFAIRS
AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS
Monday, March 1, 1999
11:00 am
Lt. Gov. Cmte. Rm.
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Veteran
Affairs & Military Installations was held on Monday, March 1,
1999 in Lt. Gov. Cmte. Rm., at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Carlos F. Truan None
Senator Gregory Luna
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:15 a.m. .
The Chair laid out SB 198, relating to the computation of
average daily attendance in certain school districts that
experience a decline in attendance, and recognized its
sponsor, Senator Luna. The Chair recognized Senator Fraser
for questions. Senator Luna noted that an Amendment will be
submitted on the suggestion of the Lt. Governor's office.
On recommendation of the Chair, the bill was held for the
sponsor to work on a Committee substitute. Testifying as
resource witnesses on SB 198 were, Dr. Dolores Munoz,
Superintendent of Edgewood, I. S.D., Ms. Debra Baros from the
Cuero I.S.D., and Mr. Robert Damron from the Stamford I.S.D.
Mr. David Dunn from the Texas Assoc. of School Boards,
registered as a witness in favor of, but did not wish to
testify. The Chair recognized Senator Luna and Senator Ogden
for questions. Senator Truan recommended that SB 198
continue to be discussed at the next Committee hearing not as
a Public Hearing but as a working session between the
Committee members with only invited testimony. There being no
further testimony, Senator Luna moved to leave SB 198 on the
table subject to call. The motion was so ordered by
unanimous consent.
Chairman Truan laid out the following bills: SB 606, SB 607,
SB 640, SB 641, and SCR 34. Senator Fraser was recognized as
their sponsor and asked to explain the bills. Chairman Truan
turned the gavel to Vice-Chairman Luna to preside at the
hearing because of a prior commitment. Resource witnesses on
these bills were then called on by Vice-Chair Luna. Both Mr.
Mitchell George representing the Texas Department Of Economic
Development and Mr. Charles Heald representing the Texas
Dept. of Transportation, provided testimony on SB 606.
Senator Fraser noted that amendments to this bill would be
presented on completion of the testimony on SB 606. Senator
Shapleigh noted that he intended to offer an amendment to SB
606 at the appropriate time. Vice-Chair Luna closed
testimony on SB 606. Vice-Chair Luna then laid out SB 607
and recognized its sponsor, Senator Fraser for an explanation
of the bill. Senator Fraser laid out Amendment #1 to SB 607
and explained its purpose. Vice-Chair Luna moved that
Amendment #1 to SB 607 be adopted. There being no objections,
the motion was so ordered. No witness testimony was heard
and the Vice-Chair moved to leave SB 607 with amendments
pending for a later vote. The Vice-Chair simultaneously laid
out SB 640, SB 641, and SCR 34. Senator Fraser laid out
and explained Amendment #1 for SCR 34. The Vice-Chair then
recognized resource witnesses for all three bills. Mr.
Michael Palmquist representing the American Legion, Samuel
Bier representing the Capitol City Chapter of American
Veterans of Austin and Mr. Jim Duncan representing the Texas
Lone Star Chapter for Korean War Veterans testified for all
the bills laid out by the Vice-Chair. There being no
further testimony, on the motion by Vice-Chair Luna,
testimony on SB 640, SB 641, and SCR 34 was closed.
Vice-Chair Luna turned the gavel back to Chairman Truan to
preside at the hearing . Chairman Truan recommended that a
vote be taken on all bills and amendments which had been laid
out before the Committee. Amendment #2 to SB 606 by Senator
Shapleigh was withdrawn. There being no objection to the
withdrawal of Senator Shapleigh's amendment to SB 606, it was
so ordered. Amendment #1 by Senator Fraser to SB606 was
withdrawn and replaced by Senator Fraser with revised
Amendment #1. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Fraser moved to report SB 606 as amended to the full
Senate with a recommendation that it do pass and be printed.
Chairman Truan ordered a Roll Call for SB 606 by the Clerk.
A vote of 5 ayes and no nays was recorded. The Chairman
called for Roll Call on SB 607, there were 5 ayes and no
nays. Senator Fraser requested that unanimous consent be
given to place SB 607 on the Local & Uncontested Calendar.
There being no objections, it was so ordered. Chairman
Truan then recognized Senator Fraser for a motion on SB 640.
The Clerk called the Roll for SB 640 with 5 ayes and no nays
and SB 640 was reported favorably out of Committee with a
recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be placed
on the Local & Uncontested Calendar. Chairman Truan
recognized Senator Fraser for a motion on SB 641. The Clerk
called the Roll with 5 ayes and no nays and SB 641 was
reported favorably out of Committee with a recommendation that
it do pass and be printed. Senator Fraser asked unanimous
consent to certify SB 641 for the Local & Uncontested
Calendar. There being no objections, it was so ordered. The
Chair recognized Senator Fraser for a motion on SCR 34. The
Roll was called with 5 ayes and no nays, SCR 34 as amended
was reported favorably to the full Senate with a
recommendation that it do pass and be printed. Senator Fraser
asked unanimous consent to certify SCR 34 as amended for the
Local & Uncontested Calendar. There being no objections, it
was so ordered.
There being no further business to transact, Vice-Chair Luna
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to call of
the Chair. There being no objections, the motion passed.
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Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chairman
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Emma Dibbles, Committee Clerk
Attachment