The House Committee on Appropriations
77th Legislature
March 7, 2001
7:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, E1.030
Pursuant to a notice posted on March 1, 2001, the House
Committee on Appropriations met in a public hearing and was
called to order by the chair, Representative Junell, at 7:03
a.m.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Junell; West, George "Buddy"; Allen;
Delisi; Gutierrez; Hamric; Heflin; King, Tracy; Luna,
Vilma; Maxey; McReynolds; Moreno, Paul; Pickett;
Puente (14).
Absent: Representatives Coleman; Eiland; Farrar; Flores;
Gallego; Giddings; Glaze; Hochberg; Janek; Mowery;
Pitts; Smith; Turner, Sylvester (13).
A quorum was present.
Testimony was taken. (See attached witness list.)
Workforce Commission
(Representative Smith now present.)(Representative Eiland now
present.)(Representative Mowery now present.)(Representative
Isett now present.)(Representative Solis now
present.)(Representative Flores now present.)(Representative
Giddings now present.)(Representative Turner, Sylvester now
present.)(Representative Farrar now present.)
Representative Luna moved the adoption of LBB with the
following technical changes: Reallocation of Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Amend the term "final
report" in Rider 39, to "status report". And to be added to
Article XI: At Risk Child Care and Federal (CCDF) Matching
Funds. Workforce Contact Telephone Numbers rider (Luna #1) and
Capital Budget Revised rider (Luna #2). Without objection, the
motion was adopted.
Reimbursements to the Unemployment Compensation Benefit Account
(Representative Glaze now present.)
Representative Luna moved the adoption of LBB recommendations.
Without objection, the motion was adopted.
Natural Resource Conservation Commission
(Representative Gallego now present.)(Representative Janek now
present.)(Representative Hochberg now present.)
(Representative Heflin in chair.)
(Representative Junell in chair.)
Representative Luna moved the adoption of LBB with the
following technical changes: Capital Budget Method of finance;
Contingency Appropriation: Fee Appropriation for Watermaster
Offices. And with the other following changes: Appropriations
Limited to Available Balances and Revenue Collections Rider
(Puente #1) and Contingency Appropriation - Petroleum Storage
Tank Remediation Rider (Puente #2) and Contingency Appropriation
- Petroleum Storage Tank Administration Rider #13 (Puente #3)
and Federal Funds and Capital Budget Expenditures rider (Puente
#4) and Capital Budget (Reduction) in General Revenue for the
biennium rider (Puente #5) and Fee Revenue - Pollution Control
Equipment Exemptions Rider #7 (Puente #6) and On-site Sewage
Disposal System Fees Rider #10 (Puente #7) and Low-Level
Radioactive Waste Compact Administration rider (Puente #8) and
Appropriation for Near Non-Attainment Area Air Quality Planning
rider (Puente #9) and Reallocation of Revenue and Balances for
Certain Accounts rider (Puente #10) and Agency to Pursue Federal
Funding for the Rio Grande Water Availability Modeling Project
rider (Puente #11) and Appropriations Limited to Revenue
Collections: Automobile Emission Inspections rider (Puente #12)
and Contingency Rider: Motor Vehicle Inspection Fee rider
(Puente #13) and Adjusted Capital Budget rider (Puente #14).
And with the addition of the following to Article IX: Exemption
from Quarterly FTE Caps. And with the addition of the following
to Article XI: Unexpended Balances: Contracts and Matching Funds
Rider; Appropriation: Earned Federal Funds; Additional Ozone
Monitoring Equipment and Activities; Completion of Total maximum
Daily Load (TMDL) water quality assessments and implementation
of watershed action plans to address TMDLs; Contingency Rider:
Motor Vehicle Inspection Fee; Notification of Members of
Legislature Prior to Press Releases. Without objection, the
motion was adopted.
At 10:01 a.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was recessed until 1:00 a.m., March 7, 2001.
The committee reconvened at 1:15 p.m. and was called to order by
the chair, Representative Junell. The roll was answered as
follows:
Present: Representatives Junell; West, George "Buddy"; Coleman;
Delisi; Farrar; Flores; Gallego; Gutierrez; Heflin;
King, Tracy; McReynolds; Moreno, Paul; Pickett; Smith
(14).
Absent: Representatives Allen; Eiland; Giddings; Glaze;
Hamric; Hochberg; Janek; Luna, Vilma; Maxey; Mowery;
Pitts; Puente; Turner, Sylvester (13).
A quorum was present.
Testimony was taken. (See attached witness list.)
Department of Transportation
(Representative Giddings now present.)(Representative Luna,
Vilma now present.)(Representative Allen now
present.)(Representative Mowery now present.)(Representative
Eiland now present.)(Representative Hamric now
present.)(Representative Hochberg now present.)
Representative Pickett moved the adoption of LBB with the
following changes: Reallocation of Capital Budget Related Funds;
Reallocation of Capital Budget Rider Fund - In State Highway
Fund; Automobile Theft Prevention Fund in General Revenue. And
with the following technical changes: Modify statutory reference
in Rider 28 to reflect correct citation; Appropriation of Loan
Fund Balances; Modify language in Rider 23. Add "Estimated" to
the Appropriations from the State Highway Fund 6. Aviation
Education rider (Pickett #1) and Coordination of Spaceport
Initiatives rider (Pickett #2); Auto Theft Prevention rider
(Pickett #3); Public Transportation Funding rider (Pickett #4);
Unexpended Balances rider (Pickett #5); Unexpended
Reimbursements rider (Pickett#6); Capital Budget rider (Pickett
#7) and Colonia rider (Pickett #8) and Delete Purchase Rail
Rider 46 rider (Pickett #9) and Full-Time Summer Hire Program
Rider #36 (Pickett #10). Without objection, the motion was
adopted.
Parks and Wildlife Department
(Representative West, George "Buddy" in chair.)(Representative
Junell in chair.)
(Representative West, George "Buddy" in chair.)(Representative
Junell in chair.)
(Representative Puente now present.)(Representative Turner,
Sylvester now present.)(Representative Janek now present.)
Representative Flores moved the adoption of LBB with the
following recommendations: (Fiscal Changes) - Add Appropriation
of Receipts: General Revenue-Dedicated Accounts
("Entrepreneurial" Rider); World Birding Center; Appropriation:
Land Sale Proceeds; Regional Park Projects. Add (Technical
Changes) - Add Texas Recreation and Parks Account No. 467;
Non-Game and Endangered Species Account No. 506; Appropriation:
License Plate Receipts and (Technical Adjustment) Appropriation:
State-owned Housing Authorized. And with the other following
changes: Construction and Land Owner Incentive Grants (Flores
#1) and Capital Budget rider (Flores #2). Add Items for Article
XI: Annual Infrastructure Maintenance Program in General
Revenue; Restore or Establish Service at Existing Parks; Restore
Funding for Conservation Education Projects out of Game, Fish
and Water Safety Account 9; Operating Costs for Fort Boggy State
Park and Government Canyon State Natural Area; Funding for San
Jacinto Battleground State Park; Meteor Crater Site. Without
objection, the motion was adopted.
Employees Retirement System
(Representative Maxey now present.)
Representative Heflin moved the adoption of LBB with the
following recommendations: Add Eliminate certain retail
pharmacies from the pharmacy network, No rate increase to
providers, Fund's actuarial surplus allows for the continuation
of the contribution holiday for the Law Enforcement and
Custodial Officers Supplemental retirement program and Increase
contributions for UGIP health insurance. And with the addition
of the following to Article XI: Contingency Appropriations for
HB 877 Rider - In General Revenue. Without objection, the
motion was adopted.
General Service Commission
(Representative West, George "Buddy" in chair.)
(Representative Junell in chair.)
(Representative Norma Chavez now present.)
Representative Heflin moved the adoption of LBB with the
following recommendations: Add (Fiscal Changes) - Texas State
Cemetery, Additional Funding for the biennium; Telecommunication
Revolving Fund Account. And with the following technical
changes: Estimated Appropriation Authority: Surplus Property
Service Charge Fund Account 570. And with the other following
changes: Capital Budget Amendments rider (Heflin #1), Unexpended
Balances of Bond Proceeds Appropriated rider (Heflin #2) and
Capital Budget rider (Heflin #3). Add Items for Article XI:
Increase in Utility Costs in General Revenue; Purchase Color
Press with Image Setter. Without objection, the motion was
adopted.
At 7:58 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
________________________
Rep. Junell, Chair
________________________
Darshoel Willis, Chief Clerk