MINUTES 
                                           
                            Wednesday, February 7, 2001 
                                     3:00 p.m. 
                     Lt. Governor Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Veteran Affairs & Military  
         Installations Committee was held on Wednesday, February 7, 2001,  
         in the Lt. Governor Committee Hearing Room, 2E.20, at Austin,  
         Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan                 None 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Tom Haywood 
         Senator Leticia Van de Putte 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Chairman Truan called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.  The  
         Committee Clerk called the roll, and there being a quorum  
         present, the following business was transacted: 
          
         Chairman Truan called for the adoption of the Committee Rules.   
         Senator Shapleigh moved to adopt the Rules.  With a call of the  
         roll, the Committee Rules were adopted with 4 ayes, 0 nays, and  
         1 absent.  The Chairman introduced Committee staff. 
          
         Invited guest speaker, Commissioner David Dewhurst of the Texas  
         General Land Office, testified as a Resource Witness on the  
         Veterans Land Board.  Commissioner Dewhurst noted legislation  
         authored by Chairman Truan during the 76th Session, SB 1509,  
         helped veterans across Texas receive more home loans by  
         increasing the legal lending limit.  The Commissioner also  
         testified on the current needs of the Veterans Land Board,  
         including additional bonding authority and lifting the  
         restrictions on revenue bonds.  Chairman Truan noted he was  
         drafting this legislation needed by the Veterans Land Board and  
         offered all Committee Members to cosponsor.  Commissioner  
         Dewhurst noted his support for the Texas Veterans Coalition and  
         their request to obtain $150 million from the tobacco settlement  
         funds to create a "Millenium Health Care Bill."  The $150  
         million would be used to create a veterans health trust fund  
         which would support veterans homes and cemetaries. 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out SB175, relating to parking privileges  
         for vehicles of certain veterans or the surviving spouses of  
         certain veterans, and recognized the author, Senator Lindsay, to  
         explain the bill.  Senator Fraser moved that SB175 be reported  
         favorably to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass  
         and be printed.  The motion carried with a record vote of 5  
         ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not voting, and 0 absent.  Senator  
         Shapleigh moved that the bill be recommended for placement on  
         the Local & Uncontested Calendar; without objection, it was so  
         ordered. 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out SB179, relating to exempting members of  
         the armed forces from the Texas Academic Skills Program, and  
         recognized the author, Senator Fraser, to explain the bill.   
         Senator Fraser sent up a committee substitute; Chairman Truan  
         recognized Senator Fraser to explain the difference between the  
         committee substitute and the bill as filed.  Senator Fraser  
         moved adoption of the committee substitute; without objection,  
         it was so ordered.    Dr. James Anderson, representing Central  
         Texas College, and Mr. Gary Bushell, representing the Corpus  
         Christi Chamber of Commerce, testified in favor of the bill.   
         Ms. Linda McDonough, representing The Texas Higher Education  
         Coordinating Board, testified on the bill.  Senator Shapleigh  
         noted Section Three of the committee substitute and suggested an  
         amendment to strike it from the bill.  Senator Fraser requested  
         unanimous consent to incorporate the amendment into the  
         committee substitute; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         Senator Fraser then moved that the new committee substitute be  
         adopted; without objection, it was so ordered.  Senator Fraser  
         moved that SB179 do not pass but that CSSB179 be reported back  
         to the Senate with the recommendation that it do pass and be  
         printed.  Chairman Truan announced Senator Shapleigh requested  
         he be shown voting aye; without objection, it was so ordered.   
         The motion carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0  
         present not voting, and 0 absent. 
          
         Chairman Truan laid out SCR6, directing the Texas Transportation  
         Commission to prioritize the construction of State Highway 195,  
         and recognized the author, Senator Fraser, to explain the  
         concurrent resolution.  Colonel David Hall, representing U.S.  
         Army, Fort Hood, and Mr. Gary Bushell, representing the Corpus  
         Christi Chamber of Commerce, testified in favor of the  
         concurrent resolution.  Al Luedecke, representing Texas  
         Department of Transportation as Director of Transportation,  
         Planning and Programming, and Mr. Richard Skopik, representing  
         Texas Department of Transportation as District Engineer, Waco  
         District, testified on the concurrent resolution.  Senator Van  
         de Putte moved that SCR6 be reported favorably to the Senate  
         with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.   
         Chairman Truan announced Senator Shapleigh requested he be shown  
         voting aye; without objection, it was so ordered.  The motion  
  
         carried with a record vote of 5 ayes, 0 nay, 0 present not  
         voting, and 0 absent. 
          
         There was no action taken for the following bill(s): 
         SB 186 by Chairman Truan was left to be laid out at a later  
         date. 
          
         There being no further business, at 4:25 p.m. Senator Haywood  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Carlos F. Truan, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Rhonda Pointer, Clerk