MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

8:00 AM

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Salon Cassia Room, Brownsville, TX

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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 Intergovernmental Relations was held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Salon Cassia Room, in Brownsville, TX.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair	Senator Paul Bettencourt, Vice Chair
Senator Sylvia Garcia	Senator Donna Campbell
Senator Robert Nichols	Senator José Menéndez
Senator Larry Taylor

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The chair called the meeting to order at 8:01 AM.  There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

Mayor of the City of Brownsville, The Honorable Tony Martinez, and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vice President for Governmental and Community Relations, Veronica Gonzales, gave welcoming remarks.

The chair laid out interim committee charge 3: Review natural disaster preparedness planning

and coordination in the wake of a growing range of threats.  Evaluate whether existing processes

maximize regional cooperation to rebuild housing and infrastructure, and allow for the timely

dissemination of funds to units of local governments for reconstruction following a federal

declaration.  Develop recommendations, if necessary, to improve the efficiency of disaster

recovery efforts, incorporating best practices identified from other states, as well as lessons learned from past reconstruction efforts in Texas.

Invited testimony was heard.  Witnesses testifying and registering are shown on the attached list.

Senator Taylor assumed the chair.

Senator Lucio resumed the chair.

The chair moved that invited testimony be closed.

Public testimony was heard.  Witnesses testifying and registering are shown on the attached list. 

The chair moved that the public testimony be closed.

There being no further business, at 10:22 AM Senator Taylor moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair

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Dilip Kanuga, Clerk