MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Tuesday, February 6, 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 Tuesday,
February 6, 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 8:05 a.m. There being a quorum
present, the following business was transacted:
The Chair recognized the following witnesses to give testimony on the
Legislative Budget Board (LBB) recommendations:
Texas A&M University System
John A. Wielmaker, LBB Analyst
Jan , SAO
Howard D. Graves, Chancellor
Introduced Don Powell. Gave overview of the A&M System in past
biennium. Spoke to eight priorities in the proposed budget.
Talked about the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil
Rights issue that profoundly affects the welfare of one of their
institutions. Answered questions.
Don Powell, Chair, Board of Regents
Spoke to profound changes serving on the Board of Regents has
had on his life and what a privilege it has been. Answered
questions.
Robert Furgason, President, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Spoke of the $46 million dollar gift by Ed Hart, for Coastal
studies. Answered questions on how the endowment monies are to
be spent.
James S. Cole, Interim President, Health Science Center
Answered questions.
Tom D. Kale, Vice Chancellor for Business, Texas A&M System
Answered questions.
Greg Anderson, Treasurer, A&M System
Answered questions.
Chester P. Fehlis, Deputy Director, A&M Extension Service
Answered questions. Spoke to the salaries of their County
Extension Agents. Answered questions on the Quail Decline
Initiative.
Dr. Charles A. Hines, President/CEO, A&M - Prairie View
Answered questions.
Dr. Ray M. Bowen, President, A&M University
Answered questions.
Keith D. McFarland, President, A&M - Commerce
Answered questions.
H. Richard Adams, Dean, Veterinary Medicine School
Answered questions.
Dr. Kay Clayton, Provost, Kingsville
Answered questions.
Edward A. Hiler, Vice-Chancellor, Agriculture and Life Science
Answered questions.
Senator Truan assumed chair.
Public Testimony:
Daniel Weaver, Texas Beekeepers Association
Supports funding for the Texas Honey Bee Research.
Helen Campbell, Executive Director, State Fireman's & Fire
Marshall Assoc.
Supports funding for the Texas Fire Training School funded
by the Texas Engineering Extension Service.
Wallace Klussmann, Texas Wildlife Assoc., Texas Farm Bureau
Supports the Quail Decline Initiative.
Gary Joiner, Asst, Legislative Director, Texas Farm Bureau
Supports Dairy Demonstration Barn at Tarleton and the
Quail Decline Initiative.
Registering, but not testifying:
Joan Beckham, Vice President for Finance & Admin. at A&M -
Texarkana
G. Kemble Bennett, Director, Engineering Extension Service
Dr, Steve Crandall, Vice President for Finance at A&M - Kingsville
Jose Garcia, Vice President Finance & Admin. at A&M International
University
Jerry Gaston, System Employee
Clovis Roland Haden, State Employee, Texas Engineering Experiment
Station
Stephen Hensley, President, A&M - Texarkana
C. Ray Hayes, Vice President Finance & Admin. - Corpus Christi
Ray M. Keck, III, Provost, A&M International University
Mike Kemp, Vice President & CEO, A&M - Galveston
Russell Long, President, President, UTAMU
Herbert Richardson, Mechanical Engineer, Texas Trans. Institute
At 10:43 a.m. Senator Truan moved that the committee stand recessed
until such time as the Chair announces it on the floor; without
objection, it was so ordered.
At 1:00 p.m. the committee reconvened with Senator Truan in chair.
Testimony continued with the following:
Texas Food and Fibers Commission
John A. Wielmaker, LBB Analyst
Dr. David Schmidley, President, Texas Tech University, Advisory
Committee
Spoke briefly about the Commission and who makes up the
Commission.
Bob Avant, Executive Director
Spoke to the proposed budget and the exceptional item.
Answered questions.
Tony Williams, Texas Cotton Ginners' Assn. & Advisory Committee
Spoke to the past biennium and the hope for the future.
Senator Ellis assumed the chair at 1:14 p.m.
University of North Texas System
Dr. Alfred F. Hurley, Chancellor, University of North Texas System
Introduced members in attendance. Gave a brief overview.
Answered questions.
Burke Pettit, Board of Regents
Thanked the Committee for past funding and hopes for continued
support for proposed funding. Appreciates the new status.
Senator Moncrief assumed chair at 1:22.
Phil Diebel, Vice Chancellor for Finance
Gave figures for some of the requests in proposed budget.
Norval Pohl, President, University of North Texas - Denton
Answered questions.
Dr. Ronald R. Blanck, President, University of Texas Health Science
Center
Gave a brief overview of the DNA Lab and the proposed Lab for
Tick-Borne Illnesses. Answered questions on the School of
Public Health.
Senator Ellis assumed Chair.
Texas Southern University
Carol Noble, SAO CHECK THIS
A. Martin Wickliff, Jr., Board of Regents
Introduced other Regents in attendance. Spoke to some of the
past problems and the hope for the future.
Priscilla Slade, President
Spoke to exceptional items in proposed budget. Answered many
questions from the committee.
Bobby Wilson, Provost
Answered questions
Gayla B. Thomas, Ph.D., Administrator
Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
George M. Williams, Regent
Quintin F. Niggins, Senior Vice President for Business &
Finance
Terry Holderman, Internal Audit
Senator Todd Staples assumed Chair at 2:57.
Public Testimony:
Robert S. Scott, Graduate Student at UT Austin
Stephen F. Austin University
Pattye Greer, Chair of Board of Regents
Gave a brief history and an overview of what is currently
happening at the University.
Mike Wilhite, Regent
Spoke to scholarship awards program and progress in the past
biennium. Answered questions. Roland Smith, Administrator
Spoke to budget and exceptional items. Gave a general overview
of faculty and students. In December awarded their first 6
Doctoral Degrees. Answered questions.
Janelle C. Ashley, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Spoke to the exceptional items in proposed budget. Answered
questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Danny R. Gallant, Director of Financial Services
Glenda Herrington, Director, Human Resources
John D. Rulfs, Regent
Senator Ellis assumed chair.
Texas Tech University System
John T. Montford, Chancellor
Gave overview of Texas Tech System. Spoke to exceptional items
in budget request. Spoke to the issue of Tier One schools.
Answered questions.
Dave Sniddle, President of Texas Tech
Answered questions from the committee.
David R. Smith, President, Texas Tech Health Science Center
Spoke to the exceptional items in proposed budget. Answered
questions.
Jim Brujes, CFO, Texas Tech University System
Answered questions.
Dr. David Schmidley, President, Texas Tech University
Explained in more detail the question of Tier One issues.
Answered questions.
Public Testimony:
Jay Weinheimer, Attorney
Registering, but not testifying:
Elmo Cavin, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs, Texas Tech Health
Sciences Center
Mike Wilson, Interim Vice President for fiscal Affairs, Texas
Tech University
Public Community/Junior Colleges
Debbie Baisden, LBB Analyst
Ray Garcia, Executive Director, Texas Association of Community
College
Introduced President's from two Junior Colleges. Spoke to the
LBB analysis and conclusions and strongly disagreed with LBB's
conclusions. Answered questions.
Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, Resident, Temple & Texas Association of Community
Colleges
Gave overview of the taxing districts. Spoke to proposed budget
and exceptional items. Answered questions.
Public Testimony:
Richard Elam, Texas Community College Teachers Assoc.
Registering, but not testifying:
Bill Crowe, President-Elect, Texas Assoc. of Community Colleges
& President, Tyler Junior College
Texas State Technical College System
Debbie Baisden, LBB Analyst
Dr. Bill Segura, Chancellor, Texas State Technical College System
Introduced Presidents from three colleges. Gave overview of the
system and progress in the past biennium. Spoke to the
exceptional items in proposed budget. Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Martha Ellis, President - Waco
Dr. J. Gilbert Leyl, President - Harlingen
Dr. Joe A. Green, President - Marshall
J. Gary Hendricks, Administrator
There being no further business, at 6:03 p.m. Senator Ellis moved that
the Committee stand recessed until 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 7,
2001. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair
______________________
Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk