MINUTES 
                                           
                             Wednesday, March 14, 2001 
                           3:00 p.m. or upon adjournment 
                     Lt. Governor Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Veteran Affairs & Military  
         Installations Committee was held on Wednesday, March 14, 2001,  
         in the Lt. Governor Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, at Austin,  
         Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan                 Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
         Senator Troy Fraser                     Senator Leticia Van de  
                                                 Putte 
         Senator Tom Haywood 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Chairman Truan called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted: 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out SB 1140 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Carona, to explain the bill. Senator Truan moved that SB  
         1140 be left pending to await a quorum; without objection, it  
         was so ordered.   Upon the arrival of that quorum, Senator  
         Fraser moved that SB 1140 be reported favorably to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The  
         motion carried with a record vote of 3 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present  
         not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Fraser moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out SB 911 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Madla, to explain the bill.  Christopher Brady,  
         representing the City of San Antonio, Brendan Godfrey,  
         representing Brooks Air Force Base, and Dick Messbarger,  
         representing the Texas Defense, Aviation, and Aerospace  
         Alliance, testified in favor of the bill.  James Christopherson,  
         representing the Office of Defense Affairs, testified on the  
         bill.  Senator Fraser moved that SB 911 be reported favorably to  
         the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 3 ayes, 0  
         nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent. 
          
         Senator Truan noted the importance and timing of upcoming  
         federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions.  Senator  
         Truan then recommended a future hearing to discuss how to best  
         guard Texas against base closure determinations and invited Dick  
         Messbarger, representing the Texas Defense, Aviation, and  
         Aerospace Alliance, and James Christopherson, representing the  
         Office of Defense Affairs, to attend. 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out SB 803 and recognized the author,  
         Senator Haywood, to explain the bill.  Doris Howdeshell,  
         representing the Texas Department of Transportation, testified  
         on the bill.  Senator Haywood moved that SB 803 be reported  
         favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass  
         and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 3  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator  
         Haywood moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         At 3:36 p.m. Senator Fraser assumed the chair.   
          
         The chair laid out SB 950 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Truan, to explain the bill.  Darrel Hunt, representing the Texas  
         Department of Transportation, and Charlie Buerschinger,  
         representing the Texas Veterans Commission, registered on the  
         bill but did not testify.  Senator Truan moved that SB 950 be  
         reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote  
         of 3 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator  
         Truan moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         The chair laid out SB 1089 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Truan, to explain the bill.  Charlie Buerschinger, representing  
         the Texas Veterans Commission, testified on the bill.  Darrel  
         Hunt, representing the Texas Department of Transportation,  
         registered on the bill but did not testify.  Senator Truan moved  
         that SB 1089 be reported favorably to the Senate with the  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion  
         carried with a record vote of 3 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 2 absent.  Senator Truan moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar;  
         without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         The chair laid out SB1165 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Truan, to explain the bill.  Senator Truan moved that SB1165 be  
         reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote  
         of 3 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent.  Senator  
  
         Truan moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         At 3:47 p.m. Senator Truan resumed the chair.  
          
         There was no action taken for the following bill(s): 
         SB 480 by Senator Duncan was left pending. 
          
         Senator Haywood moved adoption of the minutes from the previous  
         hearing held on February 28, 2001; without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, at 3:49 p.m. Senator Fraser  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Rhonda Pointer, Clerk