MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON BORDER SECURITY

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

9:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.012

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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 Border Security was held on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Brian Birdwell, Chair	None
Senator Bob Hall
Senator Juan Hinojosa

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The chair called the meeting to order at 9:03 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

The following members arrived after the roll was called: Senator Bob Hall

The chair laid out the following interim committee charge:

Community Impact: Study and report on the impact of Operation Lone Star on border, rural, and urban communities throughout Texas.

The following individuals provided invited testimony (see attached witness list).

· Border Patrol Panel

o Carl E. Landrum, Chief Patrol Agent, Laredo Sector

o Colonel Max Lopez, Assistant Chief Patrol Agent, Laredo Sector

· Law Enforcement Panel

o The Honorable Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff  

o The Honorable Parnell McNamara, McLennan County Sheriff  

o The Honorable Morgan Hightower, Moore County Sheriff    

o The Honorable Bobby Rader, Liberty County Sheriff

o The Honorable Ricky Jones, Franklin County Sheriff

The chair laid out the following interim committee charge:

Funding Impact on Safety: Monitor the agencies receiving border security funding and report on their success in providing safety along the state’s international border as well as curtailing the proliferation of transnational crime that spreads across the state.

The following individuals provided invited testimony (see attached witness list).

· State Agencies

o Office of the Governor, Sarah Hicks

o Texas Department of Public Safety, Director Steven McCraw

o Texas Military Department, Major General Thomas Suelzer,                            Texas Adjutant General & Shelia Taylor, Director of Human                        Resources

o Texas Department of Emergency Management, Chief Nim Kidd

o Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Col. Chad Jones

o Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Jason Clark, Chief of Staff & Ron                      Steffa, CFO

o Office of Court Administration, Administrative Director, Megan LaVoie

The following witnesses provided public testimony on the Community Impact Interim Charge: (see attached witness list).

The chair moved that the public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.

There being no further business, at 2:21 PM Senator Birdwell moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Brian Birdwell, Chair

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MaKayla Arthur, Clerk