85S10276 ALB-D
 
  By: Hall S.C.R. No. 1
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, Our food and water supplies, communications,
  banking, hospitals, law enforcement, and countless critical
  functions depend on the electric grid, and its protection is vital
  to homeland security; and
         WHEREAS, Numerous national publications have reported on the
  great danger to the electric grid from an electromagnetic pulse, or
  EMP; national experts regard a potential attack on our electric
  grid system, whether natural or manmade, as a grave threat to our
  American way of life; and
         WHEREAS, The risk of an EMP attack has been acknowledged
  since the 1960s, and the congressional EMP Commission warned in its
  2004 and 2008 reports that terrorists or state actors using
  relatively unsophisticated missiles armed with nuclear weapons
  could stage such an attack; in 2009, the congressional Commission
  on the Strategic Posture of the United States, led by former
  Secretaries of Defense William Perry and James Schlesinger, urged
  immediate action to protect the electric grid; and
         WHEREAS, Although the federal government has thus far
  neglected to take action, Texas is fortunate to have its own power
  grid; the state is thus capable of hardening its own electric system
  to ensure reliable electricity in a hostile environment for
  residents, businesses, and state and local government, as well as
  for U.S. military bases; and
         WHEREAS, Even if an EMP threat never materializes, protecting
  the grid would provide substantial economic benefits; as the
  federal government closes military bases around the country, Texas
  bases would likely survive closure, due to their enhanced energy
  security; moreover, companies considering relocation or expansion
  would clearly find the assurance of secure power immensely valuable
  and look to the Lone Star State; and
         WHEREAS, The protection of the electric grid is essential to
  the security and continued prosperity of our state and nation, and
  Texas is prepared to do its part to ensure that citizens can rely
  completely on the power system that sustains our society; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas,
  1st Called Session, hereby request the lieutenant governor and the
  speaker of the house of representatives to create a joint interim
  committee to study the security of the Texas electric grid,
  including critical infrastructure and its vulnerability to
  electromagnetic pulse, geomagnetic disturbance, and cybersecurity
  threats; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the committee include members of the Electric
  Reliability Council of Texas and other relevant stakeholder groups;
  and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the committee coordinate with the Commission
  to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic
  Pulse (EMP) Attack, the United States Department of Defense, the
  United States Department of Energy, and the United States
  Department of Homeland Security to apply research and information
  on electromagnetic, geomagnetic, physical, and cyber-attack
  threats; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the committee submit a full report, including
  findings and recommendations, to the 86th Texas Legislature in
  January 2019; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be
  governed by such general rules and policies for interim committees
  as the 85th Texas Legislature may adopt.