MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Monday, February 26, 2001
8:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, Room E1.036
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.18, a public
hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was held on Monday, February 26,
2001, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Rodney Ellis None
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Mike Jackson
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Carlos Truan
Senator John Whitmire
Senator Judith Zaffirini
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m. There being a quorum
present, the following business was transacted:
The Committee began its markup session on the General Appropriations Bill
(Senate Bill 1). Senator Ellis recognized Senator Jackson, Chairman of
the work group for Regulatory (Article VIII), to present the work group
recommendations to the full committee on the following agencies:
REGULATORY (ARTICLE VIII)
Board of Public Accountancy
State Office of Administrative Hearings
Board of Architectural Examiners
Board of Barber Examiners
Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Cosmetology Commission
Credit Union Department
Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
Board of Professional Engineers
Finance Commission of Texas
Department of Banking
Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner
Savings and Loan Department
Funeral Services Commission
Department of Insurance
Office of Public Insurance Counsel
Board of Professional Land Surveying
Department of Licensing and Regulation
Board of Medical Examiners
Board of Nurse Examiners
Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners
Optometry Board
Structural Pest Control Board
Board of Pharmacy
Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Examiners
Board of Plumbing Examiners
Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners
Board of Examiners of Psychologists
Racing Commission
Securities Board
Board of Tax Professional Examiners
Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
Health Professions Council
The Committee adopted specific items included in the Legislative Budget
Board (LBB) markup documents for each agency. Final action will be taken
on adopted items at the end of the markup process.
Action taken on items not included in the LBB markup documents included the
following:
State Office of Administrative Hearings: Senator Jackson proposed two
Rider 1 - Direct Funding for Agencies. Instead of interagency
contracts use direct GR funding.
Rider 2 -Administrative Law Judges (FTE Explanation: Rider is for an
increase of 1 FTE in the cap; However, funding is for a total of 5
FTE's due to SOAs unfunded FTEs currently allowed. (Contingent upon
Rep. Ray Allen's DWI Bill). Without objection, both riders were
adopted.
Board of Architectural Examiners: Senator Jackson proposed one rider.
Rider 1 - Directs funding for an FTE to be used jointly by the Board of
Architectural Examiners and the Board of Professional Engineers to
develop a new licensing system for both the agencies. Without
objection, rider was adopted.
State Board of Dental Examiners:
Authority and funding for an additional Investigator III position for
enforcement. (1FTE). Without objection, work group recommendation was
adopted.
Finance Commission of Texas: Senator Jackson proposed one rider.
Rider 1 - Adopt Sunset recommendation and eliminate all reference to
the Finance Commission as an
independent agency. Duties will be divided between Department of
Banking, Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, Savings and Loan
Department. Without objection, rider was adopted.
Savings and Loan Department:
3 FTEs (3 Mortgage Broker Investigators). Without objection, work
group recommendation was adopted.
Texas Department of Insurance:
Elimination of Rider #8, Maintenance Tax on Gross Premiums. Without
objection, work group recommendation was adopted.
Board of Professional Land Surveying:.
Increase of General Revenue Funding for (1 FTE) Investigator III &
purchase of Scantron Optical Reader for grading of exams. Without
objection, work group recommendations were adopted.
Department of Licensing and Regulation: Senator Jackson proposed one
rider.
Rider 1 - Restore of lapsed appropriations authority.
1 FTE (Boiler Inspection Specialist) Without objection, Rider #1 and
work group recommendation were adopted.
Board of Medical Examiners: On hold
Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners:
Increase funding for migration of data to computer system. Without
objection, work group recommendation was adopted.
Board of Pharmacy:
Funding for the registration of Pharmacy Technicians, as amended.
Without objection, work group recommendation, as amended, was adopted.
Board of Plumbing Examiners:
2 FTEs (Field representatives/Investigators). Without objection, work
group recommendation was adopted.
Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners:
Contracted medical reviewers for complaint files and expert testimony
at (SOAH). Without objection, work group recommendation was adopted.
Board of Examiners of Psychologists:
Funding for licensing system (Northrup Grumman). Without objection,
work group recommendation was adopted.
Securities Board:
Funding for San Antonio Enforcement Office & reduce inspection cycle
from 8.5 years to 7 years. Without objection, work group
recommendations were adopted.
Health Professions Council: Senator Jackson proposed one rider.
Rider 1 - Increase funding for optical imaging system maintenance and
upgrades, copy machine service contracts, and for contracted network
system support services. Without objection, rider was adopted.
John O'Brien, of the LBB, requested authority to make technical
corrections in accordance with budgetary and FTE decisions made by the
Committee. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Fraser, Chairman of the work group on Workers' Compensation
Issues, was recognized to present the work group recommendations to the
full Committee on the following:
Workers' Compensation Issues
State Office of Risk Management
Workers' Compensation Commission
Research and Oversight Council on Worker's Compensation
The Committee adopted specific items included in the Legislative Budget
Board (LBB) markup documents for each agency. Final action will be taken on
adopted items at the end of the markup process.
Action taken on items not included in the LBB markup documents included the
following:
State Office of Risk Management: Senator Fraser proposed one rider.
Rider 1 - to authorize SORM to use specified percentage of claims fund
for certain administrative functions that contain costs and detect
fraud, etc. (This rider could decrease the overall general revenue
needed to fund SORM's administrative costs). Exceptional items;
implementation of toll-free call line, Claims Processing caseload
reduction (4 FTEs), increase travel cap and fund e-government
initiative. Without objection, Rider 1 and exceptional items were
adopted.
Workers Compensation Commission:
Exceptional item; funding for (4 - 5) additional FTEs for the Ombudsmen
Program. Without objection, the exceptional items were adopted.
Research & Oversight Council on Worker's Compensation:
Exceptional items; Funding for an additional Researcher V and UB
authority. Without objection, the exceptional items were adopted.
Witnesses called on to answer question of the Committee are shown on the
attached list.
The chair laid out SB519 and recognized the author, Senator Shapleigh, to
explain the bill. Senator Lucio, Jr. sent up Committee Amendment 1 and
moved adoption; without objection, the amendment was adopted. Senator
Ellis moved that SB519, as amended, be reported back to the Senate with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion carried with a
record vote of 10 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 3 absent. Senator
Truan moved that the bill be recommended for placement on the Local &
Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so ordered.
The chair laid out SB174 and recognized the author, Senator Duncan, to
explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are
shown on the attached list. The chair moved that the public testimony be
closed; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that
SB174 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
The chair laid out SJR6 and recognized the author, Senator Duncan, to
explain the bill. Witnesses testifying and registering on the bill are
shown on the attached list. The chair moved that the public testimony be
closed; without objection, it was so ordered. Senator Ellis moved that
SJR6 be left pending; without objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Haywood, Chairman of the work group on E-Texas Recommendations, was
recognized to present work group recommendations to the full Committee.
Recommendations are sorted by E-Texas topic into three tiers:
Tier 1: includes recommendations that are projected to generate short
or long-term savings to the state.
Tier 2: recommendations may incur some cost, but are long-term
investments in Texas Government's
efficiency and savings generators.
Tier 3: are recommendations with cost or not filed for legislation.
(Report attached)
Senator Haywood moved adoption of the report (the report is not an
endorsement of any of the bills, it is only clarification of the bills).
Without objection, the E-Texas report was adopted.
There being no further business, Senator Lucio, Jr. moved that the
Committee stand recessed until 8:00 am, Tuesday, February 27, 2001.
Without objection, it was so ordered.
_____________________________
Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair
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Myra J. Schmitt, Clerk