MINUTES SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE Subcommittee on Crime Victims Fund Thursday, April 16, 2002 10:00 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 Thursday, April 16, 2002, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas. ***** MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Senator John Whitmire, Chair Senator Staples Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Jon Lindsay ***** Senator John Whitmire, the acting chair, called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. The Chair made opening remarks and welcomed members and invited testimony to the hearing. Senator Estes was also present for the duration of the hearing. The following business was transacted: Invited Testimony: Stephanie Coats, representing the Legislative Budget Board, answered questions and gave a presentation entitled, Compensation to Victim's Crime Fund. Howard Baldwin, representing the Attorney General's Office, answered several questions from the members and provided a detailed forecast of the C'rime Victim's Fund cash balances. Rene Henry and Jim Lehman, both representing the Office of Court Administration, answered questions and briefed the committee on the estimated statewide collection rate for court costs and fees in criminal cases. Bob Wessels, representing the Office of Court Management, and Karen Cook, representing the District Clerk's Office, both answered questions and gave an overview on the money being distributed to the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund in Harris County. Frank Sturzl, representing the Texas Municipal League, and Quentin Porter, representing the City of San Antonio's Court Administrator, both answered questions from the committee and provided a Court Cost Analysis for fiscal year 00-01. There being no further business, at 12:30 p.m. Senator Whitmire moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered. ___________________________ Senator John Whitmire, Chair ___________________________ Amber Martin, Clerk