MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERAN AFFAIRS
AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS
Monday, March 22, 1999
12:00 pm
Lt. Governor's Committee Room
*****
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
22, 1999 in the Lt. Governor's Committee Room, at Austin,
Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Carlos F. Truan Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Gregory Luna
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Chairman Truan turned the gavel to Senator Shapleigh to
preside at the hearing at this time. The clerk called the
Roll at 12:15 p.m. Senator Fraser requested unanimous consent
to be shown as voting for SB 495 and SB 643. Senator
Shapleigh laid out SB 495, relating to the powers and duties
of the Office of Defense Affairs and Texas Strategic Military
Planning Commission, and recognized its sponsor, Senator
Truan, to explain the bill. Senator Truan laid out Amendment
#1 to SB 495 and explained its purpose.
The Chair recognized Mr. Steve Ray, from the Texas Department
of Economic Development, Mr. Manuel Longoria, from the City of
San Antonio, Mr. Gary Bushell, from the Greater Corpus
Christi Business Alliance, and Mr. Robert Tokerud, from the
Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission, as witnesses
testifying for SB 495. There being no questions or further
testimony, on motion by the Chair, testimony on SB 495 was
closed.
Senator Truan moved that SB 495 with Amendment #1 be
reported favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that
it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a vote of
4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.
The Chair laid out SB 643, relating to awards for members of
the state or other military forces, and recognized its
sponsor, Senator Truan, to explain the bill. Senator Truan
laid out a committee substitute to SB 643 and explained its
purpose.
Senator Truan recognized Major General Daniel James, from the
Adjutants Generals Department as a resource witness. There
being no further questions or objections, the testimony was
closed.
Senator Truan moved that committee substitute for SB 643 be
reported favorably to the Senate with a recommendation that it
do pass and be printed. The motion carried with 4 ayes, 0
nays and 1 absent.
Senator Shapleigh turned the gavel back to Chairman Truan to
preside at the hearing. Chairman Truan moved that SB 525 be
removed from the pending list and testimony was opened on the
bill. Senator Luna sent up a committee substitute; the Chair
recognized Senator Luna to explain the difference between the
committee substitute and the bill as filed. There being no
questions or objections, on motion by the Chair, testimony
was closed.
Senator Luna moved that SB 525 be reported favorably to the
Senate as substituted with the recommendation that it do pass
and be printed. The motion carried with a vote of 3 ayes, 0
nays, and 2 absent.
Senator Shapleigh moved adoption of the minutes from March 1,
March 8, and March 15, 1999.
There being no objections, the minutes were unanimously
approved.
There being no further business, at 1:10 p.m., Senator Luna
moved that the committee stand recessed subject to call of the
Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
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Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chairman
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Emma Dibbles, Committee Clerk