MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Wednesday, September 24, 1997
9:30 am
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, the organizational meeting of the Senate Interim
Committee on Economic Development was held on Wednesday,
September 24, 1997 in the Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBER ABSENT:
Senator David Sibley Senator Florence
Shapiro
Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Tom Haywood
Senator Frank Madla
Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Chairman Sibley advised that the Committee would focus on the
portion of the interim charges relating to telecommunications
and HB 2128, 74th Legislature, at this hearing. The Chair
also advised that the order of business as shown on the agenda
would be reversed and testimony from the invited panelists
would be heard, followed by the regulatory update by Pat Wood,
Chairman of the Public Utility Commission.
The Chairman then called the invited panel to present their
testimony and respond to members' questions. The panel
testified on the following telecommunications issues:
Status of Competition in the Local Market
Use of Resale, Unbundled Network Elements and Facilities
Based Competition
Universal Service and Access Charge Reform
Arbitration Agreements
Impact of the FCC's Ameritech decision on Southwestern
Bell entering the
Interlata Long Distance Market
The panelists were:
David Cole, representing Southwestern Bell
Rian Wren, representing AT&T
Bill Mundy, representing GTE
Alfred Herrera, representing MCI
Suzie Ray McClellan, representing the Office of Public
Utility Counsel
At 10:50 a.m., Chairman Sibley called Pat Wood, Chairman, and
Judy Walsh, Commissioner, Public Utility Commission, to
present a regulatory update on the implementation of HB 2128,
74th Legislature. The Chair advised that the panel would
return to answer additional questions from the members upon
completion of Chairman Wood and Commissioner Walsh's update.
At 11:20 a.m., the panelists were recalled to respond to
further questions from the members, and to present their
closing remarks.
The Chair then advised that public testimony would be heard
and called the first witness, Janee Briesmeister, representing
Consumers Union. Ms. Briesmeister's testimony was followed by
Charles Land, representing the Texas Association of Long
Distance Telephone Companies.
Upon completion of public testimony, Gwen Stafford, Vice
Chair, and Arnold Viramontes, Director, Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund Board, presented an update on the
Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, and responded to
members' questions.
There being no further business, at 12:25 p.m. Chairman Sibley
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
__________________________
Senator David Sibley, Chairman
__________________________
Barbara Henderson, Clerk