02/10/1993 08:00 AM House RES

  SB 67:  MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AMENDMENTS                                       
                                                                               
  Number 055                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS thanked participants for their input on                    
  the beetle issue, and announced the committee would take up                  
  discussion of the mental health lands issue for the                          
  remainder of the meeting.  He referred to the two previous                   
  meetings where the state and the plaintiffs had presented                    
  their views on the issue.  He asked committee members to                     
  consider the options available to them on the issue, one                     
  being to introduce a committee-sponsored bill in the House,                  
  and referred their attention to a draft bill before them.                    
  He also directed their attention to copies of SB 67 and                      
  back-up material in members' packets.  Other options                         
  included doing nothing and letting the current settlement                    
  agreement run its course in the courts, or waiting to see                    
  what became of SB 67.                                                        
                                                                               
  Number 124                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE FINKELSTEIN referred to SB 67 and said his                    
  thought was that the committee should introduce draft                        
  legislation for discussion purposes, rather than waiting                     
  until late in the session to make decisions on such a                        
  complicated issue.                                                           
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES concurred, and said he thought having                  
  a bill before the committee would give purpose to their                      
  discussions and would be the best course to take.                            
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES objected to introducing bills                 
  just for the purpose of discussion.  She was not convinced                   
  any legislation could solve the problem, and felt Chapter 66                 
  should be given more opportunity to work.                                    
                                                                               
  Number 158                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE PAT CARNEY agreed, but said the committee had                 
  to have something to work with.  He believed SB 67 could be                  
  modified to suit the committee's intent.                                     
                                                                               
  Number 183                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE FINKELSTEIN clarified he was not suggesting                   
  the bill be introduced for the sole purpose of discussion.                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE was not satisfied with the options                      
  available and wanted more information.                                       
                                                                               
  Number 203                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON suggested one of two things could                      
  occur.  First, the committee could do nothing and Chapter 66                 
  would go through its process, or second, it could introduce                  
  the draft bill knowing it would not necessarily be the bill                  
  that came out.  The advantage of introducing the bill, he                    
  said, was that it would allow all interested parties the                     
  opportunity to come forward with their ideas.  He proposed                   
  the committee vote on how members would like to proceed.                     
                                                                               
  Number 240                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS believed the committee needed a bill                       
  before them for the purpose of discussion.  He appointed a                   
  subcommittee to look into the issue, which included                          
  Representative Hudson as chairman, and Representatives                       
  Carney, Davies, and James as members.                                        
                                                                               
  Number 254                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE asked that the committee defer further                  
  discussion of the mental health lands issue.                                 
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS announced the matter would be examined by                  
  the subcommittee, and thanked witnesses who had offered to                   
  be available.                                                                
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  There being no further business to come before the                           
  committee, Chairman Williams adjourned the meeting at 9:50                   
  a.m.