MINUTES 
          
                       SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERAN AFFAIRS 
                           AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS 
                             Monday, March 22, 1999 
                                    12:00 pm 
                          Lt. Governor's Committee Room 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         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  
         22, 1999 in the Lt. Governor's Committee Room, at Austin,  
         Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Carlos F.  Truan                Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Gregory Luna 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         Chairman Truan turned the gavel to Senator Shapleigh to  
         preside at the hearing at this time.   The clerk called the  
         Roll at 12:15 p.m.  Senator Fraser requested unanimous consent  
         to be shown as voting for SB 495 and SB 643.   Senator  
         Shapleigh laid out SB 495,  relating to the powers and duties  
         of the Office of Defense Affairs and Texas Strategic Military  
         Planning Commission, and recognized its sponsor, Senator  
         Truan, to explain the bill.  Senator Truan laid out Amendment  
         #1 to SB 495 and explained its purpose. 
          
         The Chair recognized  Mr. Steve Ray, from the Texas Department  
         of Economic Development, Mr. Manuel Longoria, from the City of  
         San Antonio, Mr. Gary Bushell,  from the Greater Corpus  
         Christi Business Alliance, and Mr. Robert Tokerud, from the  
         Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission, as witnesses  
         testifying for SB 495.  There being no questions or further  
         testimony, on motion by the Chair, testimony on SB 495 was  
         closed. 
          
         Senator Truan moved  that  SB 495 with Amendment #1 be  
         reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of  
         4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 643, relating to awards for members of  
         the state or other military forces, and recognized its  
         sponsor,  Senator Truan, to explain the bill.   Senator Truan  
         laid out a committee substitute to SB 643 and explained  its  
         purpose.   
          
         Senator Truan recognized Major General Daniel James, from the  
         Adjutants Generals Department as a resource witness.  There  
         being  no further questions or objections, the testimony was  
         closed.   
          
         Senator Truan moved that committee substitute for SB 643 be  
         reported favorably to the Senate with a recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with 4 ayes, 0  
         nays and 1 absent.  
          
         Senator Shapleigh turned the gavel back to Chairman Truan to  
         preside at the hearing.  Chairman Truan moved that SB 525 be  
         removed from the pending list and testimony was opened on the  
         bill.  Senator Luna sent up a committee substitute; the Chair  
         recognized Senator Luna to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.   There being no  
         questions or objections,  on motion by the Chair, testimony  
         was closed. 
          
         Senator Luna moved that SB 525 be reported favorably to the  
         Senate as substituted with the recommendation that it do pass  
         and be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 3 ayes, 0   
         nays, and 2 absent.   
          
         Senator Shapleigh moved  adoption of the minutes from March 1,   
         March 8, and March 15, 1999. 
         There being no objections, the minutes were unanimously  
         approved. 
          
         There being no further business,  at 1:10 p.m., Senator Luna  
         moved that the committee stand recessed subject to call of the  
         Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         ____________________________________ 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chairman 
          
         ____________________________________ 
         Emma Dibbles, Committee Clerk