MINUTES 
          
                       SENATE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION 
                              Tuesday, May 26, 1998 
                                     8:30 am 
                                     E1.714 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, an open meeting of the Senate Committee on  
         Administration was held on Tuesday, May 26, 1998 in E1.714, at  
         Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Chris Harris                    Senator Carlos Truan 
         Senator Kenneth Armbrister              Senator Mike Moncrief 
         Senator Bill Ratliff                    Senator J. E. Brown 
                                                 Senator David Sibley 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chairman called the meeting to order at 8:55 am.  Senators  
         Brown and Sibley were voting by letter with the Chairman. 
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         none. 
          
         Senator Harris began the meeting with the discussion of the  
         Senate's portion of the Texas Legislative Council's 97/98  
         budget.  It was agreed that a total of 60 computers, a  
         combination of  P.C.'s and laptops, would be purchased from  
         the 97/98 budget.  These units could be purchased, tested  and    
         available by July 1, 1998.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                              
         There was discussion about the possibility of a loaner pool  
         for P.C.'s and  laptop computers.  This would allow Senate  
         offices to have access to additional computers in times of  
         greater need but without the  necessity of  purchasing  
         additional computers for all offices.  Betty King and  Myra  
         Schmitt were given the task of developing a policy for this  
         process.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                          
         Senator Ratliff moved to purchase the software to provide the  
         ability to view a roll call vote from the laptop on each  
         senator's desk at  a  cost of approximately $3,000.00.  The  
         senate roll call system is a product from International Roll  
         Call (IRC) and would be installed prior to the 76th session.   
         The motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays.                                                                                    
                                
         There was discussion of the pilot program with the Access  
         software vs the Groupwise Calendar being tested by several  
         offices.  Texas Legislative Council will be conducting a  
         survey of the pilot offices for feedback.   Several offices in  
  
         the pilot group are not using the product and the need to  
         include additional offices to test this product might be  
         necessary. 
          
         There was discussion about  the Access program, developed by  
         Duration Software, currently being used by Senators Sibley and  
         Shapleigh.  This program could be requested by Senate offices  
         that are not currently using LCS or by offices that are using  
         LCS and would like an alternative.  Kay Huffman, from  
         Legislative Council, stated that this could be purchased,  
         installed and training provided by the end of this budget  
         year. 
          
         There was discussion about an imaging system.  Testimony by  
         Texas Legislative Council staff  was that TLC didn't have the  
         technical staff and time to launch a full scale imaging system  
         at this time.  There was talk about hiring an independent  
         contractor to help with imaging.   Senator Armbrister talked  
         about his Paper Port scanner and what he was doing with the  
         imaging technology his his office and asked Myra Schmitt to  
         contact the Department of Information Resources (DIR) to see  
         if they could help with resources and/or additional  
         information.  The above options will be looked into and  
         reported back at the next meeting.      
          
         There was discussion on the telephone service for Senate  
         offices.  Betty King and Myra Schmitt were given the task of  
         determining a policy for all ordering, purchase and  
         installations of phone systems.                                                                                                      
                                                                             
         Two new members were appointed  to the STC group.  Senator  
         Harris appointed Leah Erard from Senator Ratliff's office and  
         Jene Lanclos from Senator Brown's office as additional  
         members. 
          
         There being no further business, at 9:28 am Senator Harris  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Chris Harris, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk