MINUTES 
          
                       SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERAN AFFAIRS 
                           AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS 
                             Monday,  March 1, 1999 
                                    11:00 am 
                               Lt. Gov. Cmte. Rm. 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Veteran  
         Affairs & Military Installations was held on Monday, March 1,  
         1999  in  Lt. Gov. Cmte. Rm.,  at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan                 None 
         Senator Gregory Luna 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Steve Ogden 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:15 a.m. . 
          
         The Chair laid out SB 198,  relating to the computation of  
         average daily attendance in certain school districts that  
         experience a decline in attendance, and recognized its  
         sponsor, Senator Luna.   The Chair recognized Senator Fraser  
         for questions.  Senator Luna noted that an Amendment will be  
         submitted  on the suggestion of the Lt. Governor's office.    
         On recommendation of the Chair, the  bill was  held for the  
         sponsor  to work on a Committee substitute.   Testifying as  
         resource witnesses on SB 198  were,  Dr. Dolores Munoz,  
         Superintendent of Edgewood, I. S.D.,  Ms. Debra Baros from the  
         Cuero I.S.D.,  and Mr. Robert Damron from the Stamford  I.S.D.    
         Mr. David  Dunn from the Texas Assoc. of  School Boards,   
         registered as a witness in favor of, but did not wish to  
         testify.   The Chair recognized Senator Luna and Senator Ogden  
         for questions.  Senator Truan recommended  that SB 198  
         continue to be discussed at the next Committee hearing not as  
         a Public Hearing but as a working  session between the  
         Committee members with only invited testimony.  There being no  
         further  testimony, Senator Luna moved to leave SB 198 on the  
         table subject to call.   The motion was so ordered by  
         unanimous consent. 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out the following bills:  SB 606,  SB 607,   
         SB 640, SB 641, and SCR 34.  Senator Fraser was recognized  as  
         their  sponsor and asked to explain the bills.  Chairman Truan  
         turned the gavel  to Vice-Chairman Luna to preside at the  
         hearing because of a prior commitment.   Resource witnesses on  
         these bills were then called on by Vice-Chair Luna.   Both Mr.  
         Mitchell George representing the Texas Department Of  Economic  
         Development and Mr. Charles Heald  representing the  Texas  
         Dept. of  Transportation,  provided testimony on SB 606.   
         Senator Fraser noted that amendments to this bill would be  
         presented on completion of the testimony on SB 606.   Senator  
         Shapleigh noted that he intended to offer an amendment to SB  
         606 at the appropriate time.   Vice-Chair Luna closed  
         testimony on SB 606.    Vice-Chair Luna then laid out SB 607  
         and recognized its sponsor, Senator  Fraser for an explanation  
         of the bill.  Senator  Fraser laid out Amendment #1 to SB 607  
         and explained its purpose.  Vice-Chair Luna moved that  
         Amendment #1 to SB 607 be adopted.  There being no objections,  
         the motion was so ordered.   No witness testimony was heard  
         and the Vice-Chair  moved to leave SB 607  with amendments  
         pending for a later vote.  The Vice-Chair simultaneously  laid  
         out  SB 640, SB 641, and  SCR 34.    Senator  Fraser laid  out   
         and explained Amendment #1 for SCR 34.   The Vice-Chair then  
         recognized  resource witnesses for all three bills.  Mr.  
         Michael Palmquist representing the  American Legion, Samuel  
         Bier representing the  Capitol City Chapter of  American  
         Veterans  of Austin and  Mr. Jim Duncan representing the Texas  
         Lone Star Chapter for Korean War Veterans testified  for all  
         the bills laid out by the Vice-Chair.     There being no  
         further testimony,  on the  motion by Vice-Chair Luna,  
         testimony on SB 640, SB 641, and SCR 34  was closed.  
          
         Vice-Chair Luna turned the gavel back to Chairman Truan to  
         preside at the hearing .  Chairman Truan recommended  that a  
         vote be taken on all bills and amendments which had been laid  
         out before the Committee.  Amendment #2 to SB 606 by Senator  
         Shapleigh was withdrawn.    There being no objection to the  
         withdrawal of Senator Shapleigh's amendment to SB 606, it was  
         so ordered.   Amendment #1 by Senator Fraser to SB606 was  
         withdrawn and replaced by  Senator Fraser with revised  
         Amendment #1.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Fraser moved to report SB 606 as amended to the full   
         Senate with a recommendation  that it do pass and be printed.   
         Chairman Truan ordered a Roll Call for SB 606 by the Clerk.    
         A vote of  5 ayes and no nays was recorded.  The Chairman   
         called for Roll Call on SB 607,  there were 5 ayes and no  
         nays.  Senator Fraser requested  that unanimous consent be  
         given to place SB 607 on the  Local & Uncontested Calendar.   
         There being no objections, it was so ordered.    Chairman  
         Truan then recognized Senator Fraser  for a motion on SB 640.   
         The Clerk called the Roll for SB 640 with 5 ayes and no nays  
         and  SB 640 was  reported favorably out of Committee with a  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed  and be placed  
         on the Local & Uncontested Calendar.   Chairman Truan   
  
         recognized Senator Fraser for a motion on SB 641.  The Clerk  
         called the Roll with 5 ayes and no nays and SB 641 was  
         reported favorably out of Committee with a recommendation that  
         it do pass and be printed.  Senator Fraser asked  unanimous  
         consent  to certify SB 641 for the Local & Uncontested  
         Calendar.  There being no objections, it was  so ordered.  The   
         Chair recognized  Senator Fraser  for a motion on SCR 34.  The  
         Roll was called with 5 ayes and no nays,  SCR 34 as amended  
         was  reported favorably to the full Senate with a  
         recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  Senator Fraser  
         asked unanimous consent  to certify SCR 34 as amended for the  
         Local & Uncontested Calendar.  There being no objections, it  
         was so ordered. 
          
         There being no further business to transact,  Vice-Chair Luna   
         moved that the Committee stand recessed  subject to call of  
         the Chair.  There being no objections, the motion passed. 
          
         _________________________________________ 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chairman 
          
         _________________________________________ 
         Emma Dibbles, Committee Clerk 
          
         Attachment