MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                          Wednesday, September 9, 1998 
                                    1:00 p.m. 
                         Capitol Extension, Room E1.036 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was  
         held on Wednesday, September 9, 1998 in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Bill Ratliff                    Senator Kenneth  
                                                 Armbrister 
         Senator Carlos Truan                    Senator J.E. Brown 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos 
         Senator Teel Bivins 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
         Senator Mike Moncrief 
         Senator Jane Nelson 
         Senator David Sibley 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth 
         Senator Royce West 
         Senator Judith Zaffirini 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senator Truan. 
          
         PRESENTATION OF SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: 
          
         The Chair gave opening remarks regarding the committee's  
         interim charges and asked each subcommittee chairperson to  
         provide a brief report on  the subcommittee's findings and   
         recommendations.  Subcommittee chairs were recognized as  
         follows: 
          
              Senator Jeff Wentworth presented the Interim Report on  
              Articles IV and V.   
          
              Senator Mike Moncrief presented the Interim Report on  
              Article III. 
          
              Senator Jane Nelson presented the Interim Report on  
      
              Articles II and VII, and the Supplemental Report on the  
              Future of the State-Operated Chest Hospitals. 
          
              Senator Gonzalo Barrientos presented the Interim Report  
              on Articles I, VI and VII, and the Supplemental Report on  
              Technology in State Government. 
          
              Senator Ratliff recommended that the full committee  
              submit the reports to Governor Bullock intact and asked  
              Senator Moncrief  if  he would  coordinate a meeting  of    
              the four subcommittee chairs to draft proposals for  
              legislation.  Senator Moncrief agreed to do so. 
          
         DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO ARTICLE IX: 
          
         Senator Ratliff  called on Eric Wright and Kevin Van Oort  to  
         present  the findings of a working group composed of staff  
         from the Lieutenant Governor's Office, Speaker of the House,  
         the Comptroller's Office, the Legislative Budget Board,  
         Legislative Council, the Senate Finance Committee, and the  
         House Appropriations Committee.  The working group was charged  
         with the task of analyzing the appropriateness of all riders  
         contained within Article IX of the Appropriations Bill. 
          
              Mr. Wright discussed the process used in removing invalid  
              riders. 
          
              Mr. Van Oort reported the criteria used for determining  
              the appropriateness of riders and the constitutional  
              requirements for the enforceability of a general  
              appropriations rider. 
          
         Senator West made a motion to direct  staff  to review the HUB  
         and Affirmative Action riders utilizing the same criteria  
         employed for other riders.  Without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         There being no further business, at 2:55 p.m. Senator Truan  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Patricia Hicks, Clerk