MINUTES 
          
                           SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                           Wednesday, February 3, 1999 
                                    9:00 a.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, February 3, 1999 in the Capitol Extension,  
         Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Bill Ratliff                    None 
         Senator Carlos Truan 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos 
         Senator John Carona 
         Senator Robert Duncan 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. 
         Senator Jon Lindsay 
         Senator Mike Moncrief 
         Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Royce West 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         Senators Barrientos, Gallegos, Ogden and West. 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 290 and recognized the author, Senator  
         Brown, to explain the bill. 
          
         Senator Fraser sent up a committee substitute.  The Chair  
         recognized Senator Brown to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Fraser  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute, without objection,  
         it was so ordered. 
          
              Charles R. Matthews, representing the Texas Railroad  
              Commission, testified on the bill. 
              Richard Lavine, representing the Center for Public Policy  
              Priorities, testified in opposition to the bill. 
              Ben Sebree, representing the Texas Oil and Gas  
              Association, registered in favor of the bill but did not  
              testify. 
              Alex Mills, representing North Texas Oil and Gas  
              Association, registered in favor of the bill but did not  
      
              testify. 
              Steve Montgomery, representing Union Pacific Resources,  
              registered in favor of the bill but did not testify. 
              Tony Garza, representing the Texas Railroad Commission,  
              registered on the bill but did not testify. 
              Michael L. Williams, representing Texas Railroad  
              Commission, registered on the bill but did not testify. 
          
         Senator Fraser moved that SB 290 do not pass but that CSSB 290  
         be reported back to the Senate with the recommendation that it  
         do pass and be printed.  The motion carried with a vote of 9  
         ayes, 0 nays, 2 present not voting, and 0 absent. 
          
         The Chair recognized the following to provide testimony on  
         Legislative Budget Board (LBB) recommendations: 
          
         Texas Supreme Court 
              Dominic Giarratani, LBB 
              Thomas R. Phillips, Chief Justice 
          
              Registering, but not testifying: 
              Nathan L. Hecht, Justice 
              William L. Willis, staff resource 
              David Hodges, County Court-at-Law Judge 
          
         Court of Criminal Appeals 
              Dominic Giarratani, LBB 
              Michael J. McCormick, Judge 
          
         Judicial Committee on Information Technology 
              Peter Vogel, Lawyer 
              Lamar McCorkle, Judge, 133rd District Court 
              Bob Wessels, Harris County Court Manager 
          
              Registering, but not testifying: 
              Denise Davis, Director, Texas Judicial Council 
              Doug Rybacki, Deputy Administrative Director, Office of  
              Court Administration 
              Sharon Keller, Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals 
          
         Courts of Appeal 
              Dominic Giarratani, LBB 
              Michael Schneider, 1st Court of Appeals 
              John Cayce, 2nd Court of Appeals 
              Phil Hardberger, 4th Court of Appeals 
              Linda Thomas, 5th Court of Appeals 
              William J. Cornelius, 6th Court of Appeals 
              John T. Boyd, 7th Court of Appeals 
              Richard Barajas, 8th Court of Appeals 
              Ronald L. Walker, 9th Court of Appeals 
              Rex Davis, 10th Court of Appeals 
              Bud Arnot, 11th Court of Appeals 
              Tom B. Ramsey, Jr., 12th Court of Appeals 
  
              Robert Seerden, 13th Court of Appeals 
              Paul Murphy, 14th Court of Appeals 
              John J. Specia, Jr., Committee on Court Funding 
              David Hodges, Committee on Court Funding 
          
              Registering, but not testifying: 
              Marilyn Aboussie, 3rd Court of Appeals 
          
         Office of Court Administration 
              Dominic Giarratani, LBB 
              Jerry L. Benedict, Director 
          
              Registering, but not testifying: 
              John J. Specia, Jr., Judge, 22th District Court 
          
         State Prosecuting Attorney's Office 
              John Newton, LBB 
              Matthew Paul, State Prosecuting Attorney 
              Pamela McLemore, staff resource 
          
         State Law Library 
              Megan Goode, LBB 
              Kay Schlueter, Director 
          
         Court Reporters Certification Board 
              Megan Goode, LBB 
              Peg Liedtke, Executive Secretary 
              Sid Harle, District Judge 
          
         State Commission on Judicial Conduct 
              John Newton, LBB 
              Robert Flowers, Executive Director 
              Bud Arnot, Commissioner 
          
         Judiciary Section, Comptroller's Department 
              Dominic Giarratani, LBB 
              Arthur C. Eads, District Attorney, Bell County 
              Latham Boone, III, Special Prison Prosecution Unit 
              Chuck Demos, Comptroller's Judiciary 
              Ronald Earle, Travis County District Attorney's Office 
              Steve McCleery, Travis County District Attorney's Office 
              Mark Edwards, District Attorney 
              James Carruth, Travis County District Attorney's Office 
          
         Funeral Service Commission 
              Cassandra Burke, LBB 
              C. David Richards, III, General Counsel 
              John Q. Taylor King, Sr., Board Member 
              B.J. Miller, staff resource 
          
              Registering, but not testifying: 
  
              Marty Rhymes, Board Member 
          
         There being no further business, at 4:15 p.m. Senator Ratliff  
         announced that the Committee would stand recessed until 9:00  
         a.m.Thursday, February 4, 1999.  Without objection, it was so  
         ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Bill Ratliff, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Patricia Hicks, Clerk