MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Thursday, March 26, 2015

9:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.036

*****

Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was held on Thursday, March 26, 2015, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.

*****

MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Jane Nelson, Chair	None
Senator Juan Hinojosa, Vice Chair
Senator Paul Bettencourt
Senator Kevin Eltife
Senator Kelly Hancock
Senator Joan Huffman
Senator Lois Kolkhorst
Senator Robert Nichols
Senator Charles Schwertner
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Larry Taylor
Senator Carlos Uresti
Senator Kirk Watson
Senator Royce West
Senator John Whitmire

*****

The chair called the meeting to order at 9:12 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

SB 2 was laid out as pending business.

Senator Schwertner laid out Funding for Autism Services rider.

Senator Schwertner moved adoption of the rider. Without objection, the rider was adopted.

The chair laid out a document on Outstanding Items for Consideration.

Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list.

Article 1, Texas Public Finance Authority and Pension Review Board outstanding items were laid out. Without objection, the items were adopted.

Article II, Department of State Health Services and Health and Human Services Commission outstanding items were laid out. 

The chair laid out Article IX riders.

Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list. 

The chair moved that Article IX riders be adopted.  Without objection, the riders were adopted.

The chair laid out recommendations for Graduate Medical Education.

Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list.

The chair moved adoption of the recommendations for Graduate Medical Education. Without objection, the recommendations were adopted.

The Article V, Alcoholic Beverage Commission outstanding item was laid out.

Senator Bettencourt laid out Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Mobile Radios rider. Without objection, the rider was adopted, as amended.

Senator Bettencourt laid out Similar Radio System Study rider. Without objection, the rider was adopted, as amended.

Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list.

Senator Huffman laid out recommendations on Employees Retirement System.

Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list.

The chair moved adoption on the recommendations on Employees Retirement System. Without objection, the recommendations were adopted.

The chair laid out recommendations on Border Security Initiatives.

Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list.

The chair moved adoption of the recommendations on Border Security Initiatives. Without objection, the recommendations were adopted.

Senator Kolkhorst laid out Funding for Health Insurance Providers Fee rider by Senators Kolkhorst, Schwertner and Nichols. Without objection, the rider was adopted.

The chair moved adoption on Outstanding Items for Article II. Without objection, the items were adopted.

Senator Hinojosa assumed the chair.  

The chair recognized the following members on Article II not adopted riders:

Senator Huffman moved that page 22 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Contingent Rider: Mental Health Treatment for Incarceration Diversion Pilot Program; Fort Bend County)

Senator Whitmire moved that page 14 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (UT Harris County Psychiatric Center Rate Adjustment)

Senator Nelson resumed the chair.

Senator Whitmire moved that page 15 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (HIV/STD Prevention)

Senator Seliger moved that page 17 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Radiation Perpetual Care Account)

Senator Watson moved that page 4 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Independent Ombudsman for State Supported Living Centers to Support Former Austin State Supported Living Centers Residents Through and After Closure)

Senator Watson moved that page 19 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Breast and Cervical Cancer Services Program)

Senator Nichols moved that page 16 be amended to add the language, “without Legislative Budget Board approval” and to move the rider into Article II. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Rider to Prohibit Appropriations to be used for Privatizing Operation of State Hospital)

Senator Hinojosa moved that Statewide Hospital SDA Reimbursement Add-On rider be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

Senator Eltife moved that page 41 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Payments to Rural Hospital Providers)

The chair recognized the following members on Article III, Public Education not adopted riders:

Senator West moved that page 23 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Principal Leadership Program)

Senator West moved that page 24 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Professional Development for Blended Learning)

Senator West moved that page 25 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Reading-to-Learn Academics)

Senator West moved that page 32 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Reading Excellence Teams)

Senator West moved that page 36 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Supplemental Funding for Prekindergarten Programs)

Senators West and Kolkhorst moved that page 38 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines Training)

The chair recognized the following members on Article IV not adopted riders:

Senator Hinojosa moved that page 4 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Contingency Rider for SB 1057 or HB 2969)

Senator West moved that page 3 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Office of Court Administration: Innocence Projects)

The chair recognized the following members on Article V not adopted riders:

Senator Hinojosa moved that Proposed Study on Sale of DPS Headquarters rider be moved into Article V. Without objection, it was so ordered.

Senator Hinojosa moved that Administrator Salary rider be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair recognized the following members on Article VI not adopted riders:

Senator Hinojosa moved that Water Assistance Fund rider be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

Senator Kolkhorst moved that page 15 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Appropriation for the Study of a Market and Conveyance Network for Water in the State)

Senator Seliger moved that page 17 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Agricultural Water Conservation Monitoring)

Senator Schwertner moved that page 9 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board)

Senator Schwertner moved that page 16 as amended be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Texas Water Development Board)

The chair recognized the following members on Article VII not adopted riders:

Senator Seliger moved that page 5 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Energy Producing Sectors)

Senator Watson moved that Contingency for Senate Bill 754 rider be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair recognized the following members on Article VIII not adopted riders:

Senator Schwertner moved that page 3 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Hospital Perpetual Care Account)

Senator Schwertner moved that page 4 be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Board of Pharmacy, Proposed Funding and Rider)

Senator Hinojosa moved that Executive Director Salary rider be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair recognized the following members on Article IX not adopted riders:

Senator Hinojosa moved that Contingency for the Texas Forensic Science Commission rider be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

The chair recognized the following members on Article III, Higher Education not adopted riders:

Senator Uresti moved that Texas A&M University-San Antonio Downward Expansion be moved into Article XI. Without objection, it was so ordered.

Senator Seliger moved that page 2 be amended to be a contingency rider and moved into Article III. Without objection, it was so ordered. (Governor’s University Research Initiative)

The chair gave final directives to the Legislative Budget Board.

The chair moved that Texas Department of Criminal Justice Friends for Life Grant rider be adopted into Article V. Without objection, it was so ordered.

SB 2 was left pending.

There being no further business, at 12:29 PM Senator Jane Nelson moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

__________________________________________

Senator Jane Nelson, Chair

__________________________________________

Stephanie Hoover, Clerk