The House Committee on Appropriations

80th Legislature

March 5, 2007

8:00 a.m.

E1.030

 

Pursuant to a notice posted on February 28, 2007, the House Committee on Appropriations met in a public hearing and was called to order by the chair, Representative Chisum, at 10:20 a.m.

 

The roll was answered as follows:

 

Present:              Representatives Chisum; Guillen; Allen, Alma; Branch; Brown, Betty; Chavez; Crownover; Darby; Davis, John; Dukes; England; Gattis; Harper-Brown; Hopson; Isett, Carl; Jackson, Jim; Riddle; Taylor; Van Arsdale; Zerwas (20).

 

Absent:              Representatives Brown, Fred; Kolkhorst; Lucio III; McClendon; McReynolds; Menendez; Noriega, Rick; Otto; Turner (9).

 

A quorum was present.

 

Testimony was taken.  (See attached witness list.)

 

Department of Licensing and Regulation

 

The chair recognized Rep. Darby to lay out the recommendations for the Department of Licensing and Regulation. 

 

(Representative Otto now present.) 

 

Rep. Darby moved the adoption of the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) Recommendations with the following changes:  Increase Funding for Continuing Education/Customer Service, Resolve Complaints, Conduct Inspections, and Investigation Strategies; Technical Adjustments to Amend Riders to correspond with the Biennial Revenue Estimate; Technical Adjustment to TexasOnline Strategy; Increase the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Positions Cap; Add Contingency Revenue, Contingent Revenue:  Barber School Tuition Protection Account, and Contingent Revenue:  Private Beauty Culture School Tuition Protection Account Riders; Amend Auctioneer Education and Recovery Rider.  Without objection, the motion was adopted.

 

The Chair laid out technical corrections for the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner; the Office of Injured Employee Counsel; and the Texas Cooperative Extension.  Rep. Guillen moved to adopt the technical corrections.  Without objection, the motion was adopted. 

 

General Provisions

 

The chair recognized Rep. Dukes to lay out the recommendations for the General Provisions. 

 

(Representative Noriega, Rick now present.) 

 

(Representative Lucio III now present.) 

 

(Representative McClendon now present.) 

 

(Representative Turner now present.) 

 

(Representative Brown, Fred now present.)

 

The Chair pended the recommendations for General Provisions.

 

Parks and Wildlife Department

 

The chair recognized Rep. Isett to lay out the recommendations for the Parks and Wildlife Department.  Rep. Isett moved the adoption of the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) Recommendations with the following changes:  Increase Funding contingent on legislation relating to the Sporting Goods Sales Tax and the transfer of historic sites to the Texas Historical Commission; Increase Funding for State Park Salaries, State Park Operating Expenses, Transportation Items, Equipment and Computers, Division Support Costs, Minor Repair, Statewide Capital Repairs, Local Park Grants, and General Revenue Funding for Game Wardens; Technical Adjustments to Appropriation:  Escrow Accounts, Lease Payments and Debt Service, Indoor Recreational Facilities, License Plate Receipts, Appropriation of Certain Concession Receipts, and Payments to License Agents Riders; Increase the FTE Positions Cap; Amend Appropriation:  Land Sale Proceeds Rider; Reinstate Appropriation of Receipts out of General Revenue-Dedicated Accounts Rider; Add Collection and Reporting of Major Equipment Usage Statistics Rider and Contingency Rider for House Bill 6; and Add Contingency Rider for House Bill 6 -- Transfer for GO Bond Debt Service.  Without objection, the motion was adopted.

 

At 1:15 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection, the meeting was adjourned until 8:00 a.m., March 6, 2007.

 

 

________________________

Rep. Chisum, Chair

 

 

________________________

Paul Kamprath, Clerk