MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Thursday, February 8, 2001
8:00 p.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 Thursday, February
8, 2001, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Rodney Ellis
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 John Whitmire
Senator Judith Zaffirini
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m. There being a quorum
present, the following business was transacted:
Senator Zaffirini in the chair.
The Chair recognized the following witnesses to testify on the Legislative
Budget Board (LBB) recommendations:
Commission for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
Melitta Bustamante, LBB Analyst
Eva D. Williams, Chairman of the Board
Introduced Executive Director and spoke briefly about the
Commission.
David W. Myers, Executive Director
Gave an overview of Commission. Spoke to proposed budget and
exceptional items and need for additional funds. Spoke to the
surprise when seeing the LBB recommendations.
Tim Rarus, Director of CSD
Spoke of the needs of people that are deaf. Answered questions.
Billy Collins, Director of Programs
Answered questions.
Susan S. Tiller, Executive Director, Corpus Christi
Spoke to needs for increased funding and some of the programs
they have instituted. Answered questions.
Teresa Minchew, Executive Director, Highlands Council for the Deaf
Overview of their program and need for increased programs and
funding.
Ettalois L. Johnson, Self, Librarian
Need increased services and increased funding. Spoke to the
stress that people experience when they loose their hearing.
Better regional services and better assimilated information.
Answered questions.
Dennis Borel, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
Spoke to what Texas is currently doing the need to do more.
Spoke to the STAP program. The demand is far greater than what is
being funding.
Charlene Kennedy, Self, Computer Specialist
Need for increased education and information to people that have
multiply disabilities. She is hearing and visually impaired and
really feels there's a need for more regional programs.
Carolyn Wilson, Self
Spoke to the many listening devices that are on the market for
the hearing impaired, however there is nowhere in Texas to go and
try the various equipment that is available. Need for a resource
outlet where people can go to find answers. Spoke of the many
roadblocks that people that are deaf & had of hearing have with
just simple things like calling an 800 number to make
reservations for a hotel and then getting a hotel room that is
equipped for their needs.
Deborah Drummond, Manager, Deaf Programs of Travis County
Spoke of her program and other programs available. Education is a
major problem. Need for increased funding. Gave examples of
where the Courts drop cases because they don't have funding to
provide interrupters. People that are in jail because there is
no one to interrupt.
Cynthia F. Leigh, Attorney, Self and her daughter
Spoke to the many different sign languages. Supports regional
specialists. Her shock at realizing how few people have never
encountered a deaf person and how little education there is to
the public. More funding for the Commission for the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing.
Becky Compton, Executive Director, Center for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing in San Antonio
Spoke of the severe prejudice against the deaf and hard of
hearing in the courts and by professionals. Supports regional
specialist.
Senator Ellis assumed chair at 9:18 a.m.
Texas Commission for the Blind
Greg Markley, LBB Analyst
Bob Keeney, Chairman of the Commission
Introduced all eight Commissioners who were in attendance. Spoke
to all the salaries at the Texas Commission for the Blind.
Spoke to Senator Zaffirini's intent to help with technology.
Answered questions.
Senator Barrientos assumed chair at 9:26 a.m.
Robert Peters, Ph.D., Board member, College Dean
Gave a visually example of what being blind means. How to
identify money, cell phone buttons, a credit card, a hotel
magnetic key, air plane ticket and other things. No public
transportation to large areas of state. Spoke to the third
exceptional items, a salary increase for their Executive
Director. Answered questions.
Terry Murphy, Executive Director
Gave an overview of the mission of the Commission. Spoke to the
different programs the Commission has in effect. Gave
information as to where Texas ranks in comparison with the rest
of the United States. Gave figures; 35% of all blind people have
diabetes, there are 550,000 blind or visually impaired in Texas
and they only serve about 24,000 of those of which 52% are
minorities. Texas is the best there is in serving blind people
and the model for other states. Answered questions.
Registering, but not testifying:
Barbara Madrissi, Deputy Director of Programs, Texas Commission
for the Blind
Karen Headrick, Budget Management, Texas Commission for the
Blind
Alvin Miller, CFO, Texas Commission for the Blind
Robert Packard, Administrator, Texas Commission for the Blind
Senator Ellis assumed chair at 10:19 a.m.
Texas Department of Human Services
Michael Leo, LBB Analyst
Eric M. Bost, Commissioner
Introduced four Board members in attendance. Gave an overview of
the department. Answered questions from the Committee.
Judy Denton, Social Services Administrator
Answered questions.
Bobby Hoffmann, CFO
Answered questions.
Don Gilbert, Commissioner for Health & Human Services
Answered questions.
At 10:46 a.m. Senator Ellis moved that the committee stand recessed
until one hour after adjournment of the Senate; at which time the
committee would continue with testimony from the DHS; without objection,
it was so ordered.
At 12:59 p.m. the committee reconvened.
Testimony continued with witnesses from the Texas Department of Human
Services:
Senator Harris asked all employees of the Texas Department of Human
Services to stand up, introduce themselves, and give their job title.
Senator Harris stated that it was interesting to him that it took 30
employees in attendance for the Executive Director to present the budget.
Eric M. Bost, Executive Director
Introduced Mr. Hoffmann to give overview of proposed budget.
Bobby Hoffmann, CFO
Gave an overview of proposed budget. Answered questions about
funds used to give bonus' to employees. Spoke to exceptional
items in proposed budget and answered many questions.
Jackie Johnson, DHS employee
Spoke to the STAR PLUS program.
Pam Coleman, DHS employee
Answered questions.
Jack Caro, Comptroller Office (Resource)
Answered questions.
Jim Lehrman, Long Term Care Regulatory, DHS
Senator Ellis recessed the committee at 2:46 p.m. for 10 minutes.
At 2:56 p.m. the committee reconvened.
Public Testimony:
Catrina Steinocher, Ex. Director, Family Violence & Sexual
Assault Prevention Center of South Texas
Fritzi Moreman, Executive Director, Women's Protective Services
& Family Violence Funding
Bree Buchanan, Director, Public Policy, Texas Council on Family
Violence
Senator Zaffirini assumed the chair.
David Latimer, Assoc. Pres., Texas Assoc. of Home Services
James D. Donovan, AMERICAID Community Care (Written)
Johnnie Benson, Health Administrator, Colonial Southwest, Inc.
Patrick Bresette, Center for Public Policy Priorities (Written)
Celia Hagert, Center for Public Policy Priorities (Written)
Michael Hunter, Owner, Autumn Hills Nursing Home
John Di Francesco, Jr., Vice Pres., Truman W. Smith Children's
Care Center
Dr. Kathryn Akin, Truman W. Smith Children's Care Center
J.T. Frazier, Kid Care & Truman W. Smith Children's Center
Roy Wingate, Attorney, Grandson in Truman W. Smith Children's
Center
Anita Anderson, AARP (Written)
John Trevey, Alzheimer Assoc. of Texas
Collen Horton, Texas Advocates Supporting Kids with Disabilities
Ricardo Resa (assisted by Anthony Cook, Habitational teacher),
self
Jeanine Pinner, self, mother of a son with disabilities,
Community waivers for personal attendants
Frank Pope, self, spoke to programs where people can help
themselves
Heather Vasek, Director of Public Policy, Texas Assoc. for Home
Care
Susan Marshall, Governmental Affairs Specialist, ARC of Texas
Peter Longo, Texas Health Care Assoc. & Nursing Facility
Operations
Jennifer McPhail, ADAPT
Karen Greebon, ADAPT
Bob Kafka, ADAPT
Stephanie Thomas, ADAPT
Judith Miller, Public Policy Director, Alzheimer's Association
Coalition of Texas
Registering, but not testifying:
Teresa Aguirre, Public Policy Analyst, Texas Assoc. of Homes &
Services for the Aging (Written)
Dennis Borel, Coalition of Texas with Disabilities (Written)
Eva De Luna Castro, Center for Public Policy Priorities
Ron Cranston, ADAPT (Written)
Allan Handy, AARP
John W. Holtermann, Texas Silver haired Legislature
Susan Murphree, Advocacy Inc.
Ted Melina Raab, Legislative Director, Texas State Employees
Union (Written)
Senator Ellis assumed chair at 4:47 p.m.
Texas Workforce Commission
Heidi Lopez-Cepero, LBB Analyst
Kym Maddox, LBB Performance Analyst
Amanda Jones, LBB Analyst
Susan Riley, SAO
Michael Miracle, SAO
Cassie Carlson Reed, Executive Director
Introduced three Commissioner in attendance and CFO. Gave
overview of Commission.
Spoke to exceptional items in proposed budget. Answered
questions.
Diane Rath, Chairman of Commission (Representing Public)
Spoke in greater depth of exceptional items in proposed budget.
Answered questions.
Ron Lehmann, Commissioner (Representing Employees)
Spoke to proposed budget. Answered questions.
T.P. O'Mahoney, Commissioner (Representing Labor)
Spoke to proposed budget. Answered questions.
Randy Townsend, CFO
Answered questions.
Public Testimony:
Shirley Clowers, Executive Director, Capital Area Workforce Board
Sylvia Ashley, self
Patrick Bresette, Center for Public Policy
Frank Thompson, Gulf Coast Workforce Board
Susan Kruk, Director of Contracts & Government Relations, Initiatives
for Children
Registering, but not testifying:
Eva DeLuna Castro, Center for Public Policy Priorities
Wanicka Holland, self
There being no further business, at 6:24 p.m. Senator Ellis moved that the
Committee stand recessed until 8:00 a.m., Monday, February 12, 2001.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair
______________________
Myra J. Schmitt , Clerk