MINUTES 
                                           
            SENATE COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY 
                              Friday, August 13, 2004 
                                     10:00 a.m. 
                                   Senate Chamber 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on  
         Infrastructure Development and Security was held on Friday,  
         August 13, 2004, in the Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Todd Staples                    Senator Gonzalo  
                                                 Barrientos 
         Senator Jeff Wentworth                  Senator Kim Brimer 
                                                 Senator Rodney Ellis 
                                                 Senator Jon Lindsay 
                                                 Senator Frank Madla 
                                                 Senator Florence Shapiro 
                                                 Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         A joint hearing of the Senate Infrastructure Development and  
         Security Committee and the Senate Business and Commerce  
         Committee was held.  Chairmen Staples and Fraser shared  
         presiding duties. 
          
         Chairman Fraser called the Senate Business and Commerce  
         Committee to order at 10:20 a.m. Chairman Staples called the  
         Senate Infrastructure Development and Security Committee to  
         order at 10:20 a.m. The following business was transacted: 
          
         At 10:21 Chairman Staples laid out joint committee interim  
         charge #1 relating to the security and stability of the Texas  
         electric system and whether a system failure in Texas could  
         occur in a manner similar to the blackout that occurred in the  
         northeastern United States. 
          
         At 10:22 a.m. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst shared some  
         remarks pertaining to this charge. 
          
         At 10:40 a.m. Senator Averitt moved that both committees stand  
         at ease until 11:00 a.m. 
          
         Fraser called both committees back to order at 11:14 a.m. 
          
         Invited testimony on joint charge 1 was heard.  Witnesses  
  
         registering and/or testifying on this joint charge are shown on  
         the attached list. 
          
         At 1:12 p.m. Chairman Fraser asked if anyone present wished to  
         testify, none being heard, public testimony was closed on joint  
         interim charge #1         
          
         There being no further business, at 1:14 p.m. Senator Averitt  
         moved that the Senate Business and Commerce Committee stand  
         recessed subject to the call of the chair.  Without objection,  
         it was so ordered.   
          
         There being no further business, at 1:14 p.m. Senator Wentworth  
         moved that the Senate Infrastructure Development and Security  
         Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.   
         Without objection, it was so ordered.         
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Todd Staples, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Patricia Gajda, Clerk