MINUTES 
                                           
                            SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 
                        Subcommittee on Spaceport Trust Fund 
                              Wednesday, May 22, 2002 
                                     10:00 a.m. 
                                 Brazosport College 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance was  
         held on Wednesday, May 22, 2002, at Brazosport College 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                         
         Senator Mike Jackson, Chair 
         Senator Troy Fraser                      
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.                 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Senator Mike Jackson, the acting chair, called the meeting to  
         order at 10:20 a.m.  The chair made opening remarks and welcomed  
         all members and invited testimony to the hearing.   
         Representatives Bonnen and Uher were also present for the  
         hearing. The following business was transacted:   
          
         Invited Testimony: 
          
              Jerry Hinojosa, representing the Board of Regents for  
              Brazosport College, made opening remarks and welcomed the  
              members to Brazosport College. 
          
              Judge John Willy, County Judge for Brazoria County,  
              answered questions and touched on the importance of  
              bringing spaceport business back to the U.S.A and Texas. 
          
              Fred Welch, representing the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport  
              Development Corporation, answered questions and spoke of  
              the positive impact a spaceport would have on the area's  
              economy and surrounding high schools and community  
              colleges. 
          
              Sandra Shaw, representing the Brazosport Area Chamber of  
              Commerce, answered questions from the committee and offered  
              support for a spaceport in Brazoria County. 
          
              Dr. Patty Hertenberger and Sara Bouse, both representing  
              Alvin Community College, answered questions and provided an  
              overview of the Alvin Community College workforce  
              development and professional training programs. 
  
              Dr. Millicent Valek, representing Brazosport College,  
              answered questions from the committee and described how  
              area community colleges could provide an educated and  
              trained workforce to support a spaceport in Brazoria  
              County.  
          
              Bob Esenwein and Bob Seiwell both answered questions and  
              gave a detailed presentation on the goals of the Gulf Coast  
              Regional Spaceport Development Corporation. 
          
              Steve Hazlewood, representing Dow Chemical Company,  
              answered questions and expressed Dow Chemical's support for  
              a spaceport in Brazoria County.     
          
         Public Testimony: 
          
              Mike Hogg, representing Brazoria County Partnership,  
              answered questions and expressed the genuine support of the  
              Partnership for a spaceport in Brazoria County. 
               
         There being no further business, at 12:10 p.m. Senator Jackson  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ________________________ 
         Senator Mike Jackson, Chair 
          
         ________________________ 
         Amber Martin, Clerk