MINUTES 
                                           
                            SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                               Tuesday, March 6, 2001 
                                     9 :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 Tuesday, March 6, 2001, in the Capitol Extension, Room  
         E1.036, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Rodney Ellis                     
         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 9:00 a.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The Committee handed out markup packets with pending items and  
         riders for the following: 
          
              The following were pending items and for General Government  
         (Article I): 
              Pending Items:(on page 2) 
              Comptroller of Public Accounts: 
              a.  Startup funding for college savings plan. (Senator  
         Ellis) 
              Commission on State Emergency Communications: 
              a.  Use of local funds to reduce GR-D.  (Senator Ogden,  
         Senator Fraser) 
              General Services Commission: 
              a.  Credit card and electronic transactions contracts.   
         (Senator Fraser) 
              Office of the Secretary of State: 
  
              a.  Request for changes to agency goals and performance  
         measures. 
              b.  Agency request on Voter Education 
              The following riders were considered: 
              Rider on page 2- By Senator Ellis concerning Startup  
              Funding for College Savings Plan.  Without objection, the  
              rider was adopted. 
              Commission on State Emergency Communications: 
              Rider on page 3 - By Senator Ogden and Senator Fraser  
              regarding the use of Local Funds to Reduce GR-D.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider on page 4 & 4A - By Senator Ogden regarding  
              Appropriations, 9-1-1 Services Fee Account.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted 
              Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor: 
              Rider on page 5 - Proposed by Senator Whitmire involving  
              Drug Court Grants.  Without objection the Committee  
              adopted the amended version of the rider. 
              Texas Historical Commission: 
              Rider on page 6 - Senator Truan's rider involving the  
              Mexican American Cultural Museum.  Without objection the  
              rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              State Office of Risk Management: 
              Rider on page 8 - Proposed by the LBB regarding Travel Cap  
              Authority.  Without objection, the rider was adopted. 
          
              The following were pending items and riders for Judiciary  
         (Article IV): 
              Pending Items: (on page 10) 
              Court of Criminal Appeals: 
              a.   Cash shortage of $379,540 per year in fund 540.   
              Adopted without objection and put in Article XI. 
              Office of Court Administration: 
              Rider on page 11 - Proposed by Senator Duncan to provide  
              the Texas Judicial Council with appropriations to conduct a  
              statewide study on jury service.  Without objection, the  
              rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider on page 12 - Proposed by Senator Duncan to reinstate  
              fund for video conferencing line charges at the Eighth  
              Court of Appeals in El Paso.  Without objection, the rider  
              was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Judiciary Section, Comptroller's Department: 
              Rider on page 13 - By Senator Duncan involving  
              Appropriations to Pay Visiting Judges 100 % of Active  
              Judges' Salaries.  Without objection, the rider was adopted  
              and put in Article XI. 
              Rider on page 14 & 15 - Proposed by Senator Duncan  
              regarding adjustment to authorized payments for the payment  
              of salaries of Assistant District Attorneys, investigators  
              and/or secretarial help and expenses.  Without objection,  
              the rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
          
              The following were pending items and riders for Criminal  
         Justice (Article V): 
              Pending items:(on page 17) 
  
              Texas Military Facilities Commission: 
              a.  Modify rider on Federally Funded Projects 
              Commission on Private Security: 
              a.  LBB Technical correction to rider on Fee Rates 
              Department of Public Safety: 
              a.  Rider on travel reimbursement for out of state  
         funerals.  (Senator Whitmire) 
              b.  LBB technical correction on the Clothing Provision  
         rider 
              Riders for Article V: 
              Adjutant General's Department: 
              Rider page 18 - Proposed by Senator Truan regarding  
              ChalleNGe Program.  Without objection the rider was  
              adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Texas Department of Criminal Justice: 
              Rider page 19 - Proposed by Senator Duncan concerning  
              Western Regional Medical Facility.  The rider was left  
              pending. 
              Rider page 19A - By Senator Jackson regarding Study on  
              State Jail Contracts.  The rider was adopted and put in  
              Article XI. 
              Rider page 20 - By Senator Duncan regarding Western  
              Regional Medical Facility.  The rider was left pending. 
              Rider page 21 - By Senator Duncan regarding Western  
              Regional Medical Facility.  The rider was left pending. 
              Rider page 22 - Proposed by Senator Duncan concerning  
              Contingency Appropriations for Senate Bill 553.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted and added to Article XI. 
              Rider page 23 - By Senator Whitmire concerning Board  
              Meetings.  The rider was adopted as amended. 
              Rider page 24 - By Senator Lindsay involving Correctional  
              Officer Salary Increase.  The rider was left pending. 
              Rider page 25 - By Senator Lindsay involving Battering  
              Intervention & Prevention Projects.  The rider was left  
              pending. 
              Texas Juvenile Probation Commission: 
              Rider page 26 - Proposed by Senator Ogden regarding  
              Additional Funding for Mandated and Non-Mandated Counties.   
              Without objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Texas Education Agency: 
              Rider page 28 - By Senator Ogden to amend Rider 43, Funding  
              for juvenile Justice Alternative Programs.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Texas Military Facilities Commission: 
              Rider page 29 - By Senator Truan concerning Federally  
              Funded Projects.  Without objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Commission on Private Security: 
              Rider page 30 - Proposed by Senator Truan concerning  
              Proposed Modification of Existing Rider Fee Rates.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 32 - Proposed by Senator Whitmire concerning  
              Funeral Travel Reimbursement.  Without objection, the rider  
              was adopted. 
              Department of Public Safety: 
              Rider page 33 - By Senator Truan on Modification of  
      
              Existing Rider Clothing Provisions.  Without objection, the  
              rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 34 - By Senator Harris concerning Proposed Rider  
              25 Amendment Appropriation Transfers.  Without objection,  
              the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 35 - By Senator Lindsay regarding prevention of  
              dyed diesel fuel was adopted without objection and put in  
              Article XI. 
              Rider page 36 - By Senator Whitmire concerning  
              Appropriations Limited to Revenue Collections: Automobile  
              Emission Inspections.  Without objection, the rider was  
              adopted. 
               
              The following were pending items and riders for Natural  
         Resources (Article VI): 
              Pending items: (on page 38) 
              Department of Agriculture: 
              a.  Request for funds to establish road stations to inspect  
              truck shipments for invasive pests. (Senator Haywood) 
              Parks and Wildlife Department: 
              a.  Oyster Bed Leases Rider. (Senator Duncan) 
              Railroad Commission: 
              a.  See if fees can be raised to pay for the following:   
              Staffing to perform well determination following the  
              amendment by FERC to reinstate provision for well category  
              determinations.  (1 FTE)(Senator Ogden) 
              Texas Water Development Board: 
              a.  Rider for South Texas Border Water Initiative.   
         (Senator Lucio) 
              The following riders were considered: 
              Department of Agriculture: 
              Rider page 39 - Proposed by Senator Duncan concerning  
              Contingency Rider for a Grant Program to Provide Surplus  
              Agricultural Products.  Without objection, the rider was  
              adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Riders page 38A & 38B - By Senator Lucio and Senator Truan  
              concerning South Texas Border Water Intervention.  Without  
              objection, both riders were adopted and put into Article  
              XI. 
              Rider page 39 - By Senator Duncan for a Grant Program to  
              Provide Surplus Agricultural Products. Without objection,  
              the rider was adopted and put into Article XI. 
              Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission: 
              Rider page 40 - Proposed by Senator Ellis.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted and put into Article XI. 
              Rider page 41 & 42 - Proposed by Senator Truan regarding  
              Appropriations for Automobile Emission Inspections.   
              Without objection, the rider was adopted and put in Article  
              XI. 
              Rider page 43 - Proposed by Senator Duncan involving  
              Chances to the FTE Calculation     for the TNRCC.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 44 - By Senator Duncan regarding Contingency  
              Appropriations for Funds Relating to the Permanent  
              Management of Low-Lever Radioactive Waste.  Without  
      
              objection, the rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider page 45 - By Senator Lindsay concerning Contingency  
              Rider for the reallocation of Funds.  Without objection,  
              the rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Texas Parks and Wildlife: 
              Rider page 46 - By Senator Duncan concerning Leases of  
              State-Owned Oyster Beds and Commercial Fishery License  
              Fees.  Without objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 46 A - By Senator Duncan was a substitute for  
              the rider concerning Leases of State-Owned Oyster Beds and  
              Commercial Fishery License Fees.  To the objection of  
              Senator Lindsay, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 47 - By Senator Ogden concerning Lake Fort  
              Parker Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider page 47A & B - By Senator Whitmire on Sheldon Lake  
              Outdoor Learning Center was adopted and put in Article XI.. 
              Railroad Commission: 
              Rider page 48 - By Senator Ogden regarding Review and  
              Update of Oil Well Plugging Regulations.  Without  
              objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 49 - By Senator Ogden concerning Review and  
              Update of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)  
              Regulations.  Without objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Soil and Water Conservation Board: 
              Rider page 50 - By Senator Ogden involving Waste Water  
              Management Plans for Poultry Operators.  The rider was  
              adopted without objection and put in Article XI. 
              Texas Water Development Board: 
              Rider page 51 - By Senator Ogden regarding Loan Funding for  
              Hueco Bolson Desalination Project.  Without objection, the  
              rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider page 52 - By Senator Lucio on Unexpended Balance  
              Authority for Oil Overcharge Funds.  The rider was left  
              pending. 
              Rider page 53 -  By Senator Duncan regarding Loan for El  
              Paso Wastewater Reclamation Project.  Without objection,  
              the rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
          
              The following were pending items for Business and Economic  
         Development (Article     VII: 
              Texas Department of Economic Development: 
              Rider page 55 - By Senator Truan concerning Defense  
              Infrastructure Revolving Loan.  Without objection, the  
              rider was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider page 56 - By Senator Truan concerning Strategic  
              Defense Investment Program.  Without objection, the rider  
              was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Texas Department of Transportation: 
              Rider page 57 - By Senator Ogden to report on discretionary  
              funds received by the department.  Without objection the  
              rider was adopted. 
              Texas Workforce Commission: 
              Rider page 58 - By Senator Zaffirini concerning High Wage  
              Incentive program.  Without objection, the rider was  
      
              adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider page 59 - By Senator Duncan on Contracting  
              Requirement.  Without objection, the rider was adopted. 
              Rider page 60 - By Senator Lucio on Proposed Ferry System  
              and Causeway Construction.  Without objection, the rider  
              was adopted and put in Article XI. 
              Rider page 61 - By Senator Lucio on e-Texas and Paving the  
              Way not included in other specific riders.  Left pending. 
              Rider page 62 - By Senator Lucio concerning Expand the  
              Reach of the State Infrastructure Bank.  Left pending. 
              Rider page 63 - By Senator Lucio to Improve Texas' Share of  
              Federal Discretionary Funds.  Left pending. 
              Rider page 64 - By Senator Lucio to Apply Innovative Asset  
              Management Practices to TxDOT Owned Land and Buildings.   
              Left pending. 
              Rider page 65 - By Senator Lucio to implement Paving the  
              Way issues 3.2, recommendation B. Left pending. 
              Rider page 66 - By Senator Lucio to implement  
              recommendations of Paving the Way issue 2.1.  Left Pending. 
               
              The following were pending items for Regulatory (Article  
         VIII): 
              Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying: 
              a.  Contingency Revenue Rider (Senator Fraser) 
              Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: 
              a.  Additional Lapse appropriation authority (Senator  
         Barrientos) 
              b. Licensing system (Senator Barrientos) 
              c.  Capital Budget Authority and increased funding in 2003  
              of $31,000 (Senator Barrientos) 
              Texas State Board of Medical Examiners: 
              a.  Physician Profile System.  Agency requesting $377,694  
              for the biennium (Senator Harris) 
              Structural Pest Control Board: 
              a.  Supervising Investigator and Administrative Technician  
              III to improve efficiency of complaint resolution (Senator  
              Truan) 
              EVERYTHING WAS LEFT PENDING FOR ARTICLE VIII 
          
         Resource witnesses are shown on the attached list. 
               
         There being no further business, at 10:22 a.m. Senator Ellis  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Rodney Ellis, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Amber Martin, Assistant Clerk