MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Wednesday, January 17, 2001
8:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, Room E1.036
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.18, a public
hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was held on Wednesday, January
17, 2001, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Rodney Ellis Senator John Whitmire
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Carlos Truan
Senator Judith Zaffirini
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 8:10 a.m. There being a quorum
present, the following business was transacted:
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Carlos Truan
The Chair recognized the following witnesses to provide testimony
regarding Legislative Budget Board (LBB) recommendations:
Texas Board of Medical Examiners
Mark Wiles, LBB Budget Analyst
Wallace Lankford, Director of Finance
Spoke to the overall requests and exceptional items in requested
budget. Answered questions from the Committee.
F.M. Langley, D.V.M., M.D., J.D., Executive Director
Answered questions from Committee members.
Senator Harris moved to suspend testimony from the Texas Board of Medical
Examiners until there are Board Members present. Senator Fraser seconded
the motion. There being no objection, the motion passed.
Public Utility Commission
Kimberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
Pat Wood, Chairman
Spoke to the overall budget requests and issues pertaining to
progress in the last six years. Answered many questions from the
Committee.
Lane Lanford, Executive Director
Spoke to a couple of riders as laid out by the LBB. Answered
questions from the Committee.
Office of Public Utility Counsel
Kimberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
Suzi McClellan, Public Counsel
Gave an overview of what the counsel does and to items not
recommended in the requested budget. Answered questions from
members
Health Professions Council
Mark Wiles, LBB Budget Analyst
Kathy Thomas, Chair of the Health Professions Council & Ex.
Director, Board of Nurse Examiners
Gave the Committee a brief history and overview of what the
council does. Spoke to the amended request items in proposed
budget. Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Charles Horton, Administrative Officer
Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Mark Wiles, LBB Budget Analyst
Gary K. Cain, Executive Director
Introduced Minerva Hall, Financial Officer and Dr. Cynthia
Vaughn, Chairman
Cynthia Vaughn, D.C., Chairman
Gave an overview of what the Board does. Spoke to the budget
requests, the salary increase for their Executive Director and
the need for additional office space. Answered questions
State Board of Dental Examiners
Mark Wiles, LBB Budget Analyst
Jeffry Hill, Executive Director
Spoke to all of the exceptional items in the proposed request.
Answered questions from the Committee.
David Olson, D.D.S, Board President
Spoke in support of the additional requests above LBB's
recommendations.
James Kennedy, D.D.S., Board Secretary
Spoke to exceptional item #1 for a dental consultant.
Registering, but not testifying;
Carol McPherson, Director of Administration, State Board of Dental
Examiners
Board of Nurse Examiners
Daniel Estrada, LBB Budget Analyst
Linda Round, President of Board
Spoke to the requested budget and exceptional items. The Board
has agreed to any fee increase, if needed, to fund the
exceptional items. Answered questions from Committee.
Registering, but not testifying
Kathy Thomas, Executive Director
Mark Majek, Director, Operations
At 10:49 a.m. Senator Ellis moved that the committee stand recessed until
45 minutes after adjournment of the Senate; without objection, it was so
ordered.
At 12:30 p.m. the committee reconvened.
Testimony continued with the following:
Texas State Board of Pharmacy
Ed Robertson, LBB Budget Analyst
Bill Pitman, President of the Board
Spoke to the salary increase for the Executive Director.
Gay Dodson, Executive Director
Reviewed the materials given to the members. Spoke to the
requested budget. Answered questions from the Committee.
Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Examiners
Mark Wiles, LBB Budget Analyst
John Maline, Executive Director of the Executive Council
Explained exactly what the Executive Council is, what it does,
and how it is structured. Introduced other members with him.
Spoke to the requested budget and the one exceptional item.
Jean E. Polichino, Member of the Executive Council
Spoke to the factors that have impacted the Physical and
Occupation Therapist in the state. Mary R. Daillong, Member of
Executive Council
Spoke to the exceptional item of merit increases for employees.
Answered questions.
Texas Optometry Board
Ed Robertson, LBB Budget Analyst
Lois Ewald, Executive Director
Spoke to the exceptional items being requested in the proposed
budget. Answered questions.
Kevin DeWolfe, O.D., Chairman
Spoke to the high turnover rate for employees and the travel
cap. Answered questions.
Texas Board of Examiners of Psychologists
Kymberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
David Rudd, Ph.D., Chair
Gave an overview of the board's purpose. Spoke about the
difficulty of fulfilling it's mission. Several reasons for the
difficulty are the increased mandates and the high turnover of
employees. Answered questions.
Sherry L. Lee, Executive Director
Spoke to the individual exceptional items in their requested
budget. Answered questions.
State Securities Board
Daniel Estrada, LBB Budget Analyst
Steve Hopson, Sunset Commission
Denise Voigt Crawford, Commissioner
Gave an overview of the boards duties and the size of the
securities market. Spoke to the need for increased salaries.
Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Tom Spradlin, Director, Information Resources and Planning
Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners
Daniel Estrada, LBB Budget Analyst
Mary M. Strange, Executive Director
Gave an overview and spoke to exceptional items in their
proposed budget. Answered questions.
Texas Racing Commission
Heidi Lopez-Cepero, LBB Analyst
Treva Boyd, Board Member
Gave and overview of the past year and needs for the future.
Spoke to the exceptional item of a merit increase for the
Executive Director. Answered questions.
Paula C. Flowerday, Executive Director
Spoke to exceptional items not covered in the LBB
recommendations. Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Jean Cook, Deputy Director for Administration
Tim Craig, Chief Financial Officer
Texas Real Estate Commission
Kymberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
Michael Brodie, Chairman
Spoke to the five exceptional items they are requesting, and
modifications to two riders.
Wayne Thorburn, Administrator
Spoke in detail of the exceptional items being requested in the
budget and the modifications to the riders.
Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board
Kymberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
Renil C. Liner, Commissioner
Introduced Debra Runyan and another board member. Spoke to the
exceptional items in proposed budget. Answered questions.
Debra Runyan, Chairman of the Board
Gave a brief overview of the duties of the board.
Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners
Kymberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
Allen Hymus, Executive Director
Introduced members in attendance. Gave overview of what the board
does. Answered questions from the committee.
Sandra Donahoe, SOA (Office of the State Auditor)
The Committee decided to end the testimony from the Texas State Board of
Podiatric Medical Examiners until the Office of the State Auditor could
confirm that all recommendations from their audit had been complied with.
They will be called at such time as that report is submitted to the
Finance Committee.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Daniel Estrada, LBB Budget Analyst
William Kuntz, Executive Director
Answered questions regarding the imaging system and other
questions asked by Committee.
Father William Fowler, Chairman
Spoke to exceptional items in the proposed budget and especially
the salary increase for the Executive Director. Answered
questions.
Board of Tax Professional Examiners
Ed Robertson, LBB Budget Analyst
David E. Montoya, Executive Director
Gave a general overview of the agency. Answered questions.
Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying
Kymberley Maddox, LBB Budget Analyst
Sandy Smith, Executive Director
Spoke to exceptional items being requested in the proposed
budget. Answered questions.
Raul Wong, Jr., Chairman of the Board
Spoke to the issue of board members doing investigation work.
Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Douglas W. Turner, Board Member
There being no further business, Senator Zaffirini moved that the
Committee stand recessed until 8:00 a.m., Monday, January 22, 2001.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair
______________________
Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk