MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

1:00 PM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.016

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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce was held on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Kelly Hancock, Chair	Senator Larry Taylor
Senator Brandon Creighton, Vice Chair
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Don Huffines
Senator Charles Schwertner
Senator Kel Seliger
Senator Kirk Watson
Senator John Whitmire

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The chair called the meeting to order at 1:03 PM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

Chairman Hancock made opening remarks.

Chairman Hancock opened invited testimony from the Electric Reliability Council of  Texas

the Public Utility Commission. The invited witnesses are shown on the attached list.

The chair laid out the first interim charge of the hearing: Examine cyber-security efforts undertaken by state entities and study the legal, policy, and privacy implications of the trend toward storage of personal, private, and business confidential information in network attached storage, cloud storage, and other developing data storage options rather than on local devices. Make recommendations on how to best protect Texans' financial and personal information.

Chairman Hancock opened up invited testimony. The invited witnesses are shown on the attached list.

The chair laid out the second interim charge of the hearing: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce during the 84th Legislature, Regular Session and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the following:  State agency participation in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program.

Chairman Hancock opened up invited testimony. The invited witness is shown on the attached list.

There being no further business, at 1:50 PM Senator Hancock moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Kelly Hancock, Chair

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Tatum Reagan, Clerk