MINUTES 
          
                       SENATE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION 
                             Tuesday, April 8, 1997 
                                     7:45 am 
                         Senate Admin. Comte. Rm. E1.714 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on  
         Administration was held on Tuesday, April 8, 1997 in Senate  
         Admin. Comte. Rm. E1.714, at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Chris Harris                    None 
         Senator Carlos Truan 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister 
         Senator J.E. Brown 
         Senator Mike Moncrief 
         Senator Bill Ratliff 
         Senator David Sibley 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:50 am.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The Chair laid out SCR 46 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Ratliff, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Ratliff stated that Senator Armbrister had sponsored a  
         bill last session for a portrait of President Bush.  He asked  
         Rick Crawford, Executive Director of the State Preservation  
         Board, if there had been any action taken on the portrait and  
         if anyone else had a portrait and a bust.  Mr.  Crawford  
         answered that the family had not approved a portrait at this  
         time and that we had a portrait  and a bust for President  
         Lyndon Johnson.  Senator Truan moved that SCR 46 be reported  
         favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 7  
         ayes, 0 nays.  Senator Ratliff moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar,  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 1288 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Sibley, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Harris sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved  
         adoption.  The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays.   
         Senator Truan sent up Committee Amendment 2 and moved  
         adoption.  The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays.   
         Senator Sibley moved that SB 1288, as amended, be reported  
  
         back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and  
         be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays.   
         Senator Harris moved to reconsider the vote that it do pass  
         and be printed, Senator Sibley so moved.  The motion carried  
         with a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays.  Senator Sibley moved that SB  
         1288, as amended, be reported favorably to the full Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and NOT be printed.   
         The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays.  Senator  
         Sibley moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar, without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 1751 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Armbrister explained the bill and sent up Committee  
         Amendment 1.  Carolyn B. Hall, a resource witness with Texas  
         Legislative Council, answered questions. Senator Moncrief  
         moved adoption.  The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes, 0  
         nays.  Senator Armbrister moved that SB 1751,as amended, be  
         reported favorably to the full Senate with the recommendation  
         that it do pass and NOT be printed.  The motion carried with a  
         vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays.  Senator Harris moved that the bill be  
         recommended for placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar,  
         without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         The Chair laid out SB 1807 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Armbrister, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Armbrister sent up Committee Amendment 1 and moved  
         adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted.   
         Senator Armbrister moved that SB 1807, as amended, be reported  
         back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and  
         NOT be printed. The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes, 0  
         nays.  Senator Moncrief moved that the bill be recommended for  
         placement on the Local & Uncontested Calendar, without  
         objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         Senator Harris asked Rick Crawford, Executive Director of the  
         State Preservation Board, to briefly update the committee on  
         the parking garage plans.  Mr. Crawford gave the committee a  
         letter and report, which included locations, costs and plans  
         to finance the project.  There was discussion.  Senator  
         Armbrister asked that the committee look at the possibility of  
         a bill that would charge UT and/or persons attending UT events  
         for the use of state parking garages.  This will be  
         investigated. 
          
         Senator Harris informed the committee of a situation where  
         some members are taking a cab from their home to the airport,  
         instead of getting a ride or driving their car and leaving it  
         at the airport.  This has historically not been reimbursed as  
         constitutional travel. The consensus of the committee was not  
         to reimburse for this expense. 
          
         The next order of business was to consider and certify the  
         bills recommended for placement on the Local and Uncontested  
  
         Calendar.  Senator Harris informed the members that SB 1134/  
         Whitmire and SB 1352/Truan had been heard on the floor,  
         Monday, 4/7/97.  He stated that he was pulling SB 937 from the  
         calendar and asked Senator Armbrister about the fiscal note on  
         SB 143.  Senator Armbrister explained what was happening with  
         the bill and there was discussion.  There was discussion on  
         other bills.  Senator Moncrief moved to certify all the bills  
         listed with the exception of SB 820/West, SB 937/Harris, SB  
         1059/Moncrief and SB 1112/Ellis.  The motion carried with a  
         vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays. 
          
         Senator Harris asked Carleton Turner to tell the committee  
         about the problem with Senate offices reserving seats in the  
         gallery.  The committee consensus was that offices can reserve  
         seats for 15 minutes into session and then the seats can be  
         opened up to the public. 
          
         Senator Harris informed the committee about the letter that  
         went out Friday, 4/4/97 letting the members know about  
         upcoming trips/conferences and some of the cost of airfare and  
         hotels.  There was discussion and the committee will look at  
         this again at another meeting. 
          
         There being no further business, Senator Harris moved that the  
         Committee be recessed subject  to the call of the Chair.  
         Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Chris Harris, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk