MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Subcommittee on Crime Victims Fund
Thursday, April 16, 2002
10:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, Room E1.036
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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was
held on Thursday, April 16, 2002, in the Capitol Extension, Room
E1.036, at Austin, Texas.
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MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator John Whitmire, Chair Senator Staples
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Jon Lindsay
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Senator John Whitmire, the acting chair, called the meeting to
order at 10:00 a.m. The Chair made opening remarks and welcomed
members and invited testimony to the hearing. Senator Estes was
also present for the duration of the hearing. The following
business was transacted:
Invited Testimony:
Stephanie Coats, representing the Legislative Budget Board,
answered questions and gave a presentation entitled,
Compensation to Victim's Crime Fund.
Howard Baldwin, representing the Attorney General's Office,
answered several questions from the members and provided a
detailed forecast of the C'rime Victim's Fund cash balances.
Rene Henry and Jim Lehman, both representing the Office of Court
Administration, answered questions and briefed the committee on
the estimated statewide collection rate for court costs and fees
in criminal cases.
Bob Wessels, representing the Office of Court Management, and
Karen Cook, representing the District Clerk's Office, both
answered questions and gave an overview on the money being
distributed to the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund in
Harris County.
Frank Sturzl, representing the Texas Municipal League, and
Quentin Porter, representing the City of San Antonio's Court
Administrator, both answered questions from the committee and
provided a Court Cost Analysis for fiscal year 00-01.
There being no further business, at 12:30 p.m. Senator Whitmire
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
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Senator John Whitmire, Chair
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Amber Martin, Clerk