MINUTES 
                                           
              SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOMELAND SECURITY 
                              Wednesday, July 26, 2006 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                  City Council Chamber, City Hall, Mission, Texas 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on  
         Transportation and Homeland Security was held on Wednesday, July  
         26, 2006, in the City Council Chamber, City Hall, Mission,  
         Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator John Carona                     Senator Kenneth  
         Armbrister 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos              Senator Kim Brimer 
                                                 Senator Rodney Ellis 
                                                 Senator Florence Shapiro 
                                                 Senator Eliot Shapleigh 
                                                 Senator Jeff Wentworth 
                                                 Senator Tommy Williams 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         Senators Juan Hinojosa and Leticia Van de Putte joined the  
         panel. Chairman Carona and members gave opening remarks. The  
         panel then received invited and public testimony (see witness  
         list). 
          
         There being no further business, at 12:45 PM the committee  
         recessed subject to the call of the chair without objection. 
          
         _____________________________  
         Senator John Carona, Chair  
          
         _____________________________  
         Steven Polunsky, Committee Director