FORMER SENATOR VISITS NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

(AUSTIN) — The Senate Nominations Committee welcomed former Amarillo Senator Teel Bivins to Wednesday's hearing. Bivins is the former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, and left the Senate to take that position following the 78th Legislative Session. He was in town to support the nomination of his brother, Mark Bivins, to the Parks and Wildlife Commission. Bivins chaired the Senate Finance Committee in 2003, when the state faced a record $10 billion revenue shortfall.

Mark Bivins was quizzed by the committee on the issues currently facing the Parks and Wildlife Department. Bivins said that he was dedicated to giving visitors to Texas Parks "a quality experience" and that the Department should focus its efforts on attracting visitors from other states while doing everything it can to provide proper maintenance for the current facilities. The Nominations Committee unanimously approved his nomination and examined other nominees to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Texas Forensic Science Commission. Nominees to these and other boards were later approved at a meeting after today's session of the Texas Senate.

The Senate will reconvene Thursday, May 17, at 8 a.m. to consider the Local and Uncontested Calendar, and will meet in regular session at 9 a.m.

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