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