MINUTES 
                                           
           ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE 
                            Tuesday, September 26, 2000 
                                     9:30 a.m. 
                              Capitol Extension E1.030 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted August 30, 2000, and in accordance  
         with Senate Rule 11.18, a public hearing of the Electric Utility  
         Restructuring Legislative Oversight Committee was held on  
         Tuesday, September 26, 2000, in the Capitol Extension E1.030. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator David Sibley, Co-Chairman       Senator Frank Madla 
         Representative Steven Wolens, Co-Chairman    Senator John  
                                                 Whitmire 
         Senator David Cain                      Representative David  
                                                 Counts 
         Senator Jane Nelson                     Representative Debra  
                                                 Danburg 
         Representative Kim Brimer 
         Representative Sylvester Turner 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Co-Chairman Sibley called the meeting to order at 9:45 a.m.   
         There being a quorum present, the following business was  
         transacted.  Senator Ken Armbrister was also present and  
         participated in the meeting. 
          
         Co-Chairman Sibley advised that the general public would have  
         the opportunity to speak at this meeting; invited testimony had  
         been heard at previous hearings.  Co-Chairman Wolens also  
         advised that this would be the last hearing of the Oversight  
         Committee for the year. 
          
         Co-Chairman Sibley then called the first witness, Commissioner  
         Charles Matthews, Texas Railroad Commission, who spoke to the  
         Committee about the natural gas industry in Texas. 
          
         Upon completion of Commissioner Matthews' testimony and response  
         to members' questions, the following four witnesses, each  
         representing the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies,  
         asked to be called to testify as a panel.  The panelists listed  
         below presented testimony on the System Benefit Fund, consumer  
         protections and consumer programs.  
          
              Johnny Raymond, Amarillo, Texas 
              A. R. Kampschafer, Corsicana, Texas 
              David Ojeda, Jr., Carrizo Springs, Texas 
              Johnette Hicks, Waco, Texas. 
          
         Pat Wood III, Chairman of the Texas Public Utility Commission,  
         responded to members' questions which arose during Mr.  
         Kampschafer's testimony, as well as during testimony from  
         succeeding witnesses. 
          
         Carol Biedrzycki, representing Texas Ratepayers' Organization to  
         Save Energy, also presented testimony on consumer protections  
         and the System Benefit Fund. 
          
         Following Ms. Biedrzycki's testimony and response to members'  
         questions, three witnesses were called as a panel.  These  
         witnesses were: 
          
              Richard H. Counihan, representing Green Mountain Energy,  
         San Francisco, California 
              Clem Palevich, representing AES Newenergy, Inc., Los  
         Angeles, California 
              Kathleen Magruder, representing The New Power Company,  
         Greenwich, Connecticut. 
          
         Upon completion of the above panelists' testimony and response  
         to members' questions, the following witnesses were called to  
         present their testimony: 
          
              Randall Chapman, representing himself, Austin  
              Randy Eminger, representing the Center for Energy &  
         Economic Development, Amarillo 
              Larry Oefinger, representing Texas Rural Electric  
         Coalition, Hondo 
              Catherine Webking, representing Hammacks & Yanta Cattle  
         Company, Dripping Springs 
              Janee Briesemeister, representing Consumers Union, Austin 
              Stephanie Kroger, representing Texas Coalition for  
         Competitive Electricity, Midland. 
          
         The following registered but did not wish to testify; however,  
         they submitted written testimony on behalf of their  
         organizations: 
          
              George Berasley, representing AARP, Austin 
              John Fainter, President, Association of Electric Companies  
         of Texas, Inc., Austin. 
          
         Co-Chairman Wolens announced that this meeting concluded the  
         Committee's interim hearings and that after the Committee's  
         report is prepared, it will be available to the public. 
          
         There being no further business, at 12:35 p.m. Co-Chairman  
         Sibley moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the  
         call of the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         _______________________________          
                                            _____________________________ 
                                            _______ 
         Senator David Sibley, Co-Chairman            Representative  
         Steven Wolens, Co-Chairman 
          
         _______________________________ 
         Barbara Henderson, Clerk