Legislative Issues
Bill Tracker
Texas Legislative Process Overview
The Texas Legislature meets in Austin every odd-numbered year (from January through May) to pass new laws. All legislation must undergo at least one public hearing in both a House and Senate committee before it can be passed into law. These hearings are the key opportunities for input to be provided to policymakers. Legislative committee hearings are held intensively from January through May of odd numbered years and periodically outside of these regular sessions, as scheduled by the committee chairs.
This site is intended to provide links to and highlights of important water and environmental bills TACWA is tracking. TACWA actively tracks state legislation and testifies as appropriate through collaboration between our Executive Director Julie Nahrgang, WEAT President and leadership, and WEAT Knowledge Committees. Scroll down for TACWA's Bill Tracking Table.
Texas State Legislature - Key Dates for 2020-2021
- November 3, 2020 - General Election (local, state, and federal races)
- January 12, 2021 - Texas legislature convenes, start of the 87th Legislative Session
- May 31, 2021 - Last day of regular Texas legislative session (Governor can add special sessions to allow more time to pass legislation)
Texas 86th Legislature Interim Reports
- State House Natural Resources Committee Interim Report
- State Senate Water and Rural Affairs Committee Interim Report
- State Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee Interim Report
Texas 86th Legislature Interim Charges
Members are charged with gathering information and reporting back on assigned topics while not in session.
87th Session High Priority Water Quality Bills
Swanson, Valoree
Relating to legislative review and approval of certain state agency rules.
In committee
Buckley, Brad
Relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of groundwater conditions in certain counties.
In committee
Zwiener, Erin
Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the portion of the appraised value of a person's property that is attributable to the installation in or on the property of certain water conservation systems.
In committee
Zwiener, Erin
Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to require water pollution abatement plans from certain facilities regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas.
In committee
Murr, Andrew
Relating to the procedure by which a state agency may issue an opinion that a watercourse is navigable.
In committee
Collier, Nicole
Relating to testing for lead contamination in public school drinking water.
In committee
Howard, Donna
Relating to the Internet broadcast or audio recording of certain open meetings.
Out of committee, voted favorably
Zwiener, Erin
Relating to a requirement to make certain environmental and water use permit applications available online.
In committee
Lopez, Ray
Relating to providing notice to a state representative and senator of an administrative penalty assessed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
In committee
Beckley, Michelle
Relating to the regulation by the Texas Department of Transportation of right-of-way landscaping installed by utilities.
Filed 11/10/2020; Companion Bill HB 2312
Walle, Armando
Relating to notice requirements for a leased dwelling located in a floodplain.
Out of committee, voted favorably
Gervin-Hawkins, Barbara
Relating to the adoption of a healthy and safe school water plan by public schools.
In committee
Morales, Eddie
Relating to the type of newspaper required for the publication of notices by governmental entities or representatives in certain counties.
In committee
Perez, Mary Ann
Relating to performance standards for certain aboveground storage tanks.
In committee
Reynolds, Ron
Relating to the establishment of the Texas Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
Filed 12/3/2020; Companion Bill HB 1491
Middleton, Mayes
Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.
In committee
Patterson, Jared
Relating to the requirement that certain governmental bodies make audio and video recordings of open meetings available on the Internet.
In committee
Collier, Nicole
Relating to changes to an application for an environmental permit before a contested case hearing on the application.
Filed 12/17/2020; Companion Bill HB 1006
Darby, Drew
Relating to the treatment, recycling for beneficial use, or disposal of drill cuttings.
In committee
Burns, DeWayne
Relating to the award of attorney's fees and other costs in certain suits involving a groundwater conservation district.
In committee
Dutton Jr., Harold
Relating to public comments on matters subject to a hearing under the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
In committee
Dutton Jr., Harold
Relating to the definition of "affected person" for purposes of a contested case hearing held by or for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding certain environmental permit applications.
Filed 1/5/2021; Companion Bills HB 654 and SB 573
Dutton Jr., Harold
Relating to the notice of intent to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
In committee
Shaheen, Matt
Relating to the publication of required notice by a political subdivision by alternative media.
In committee
Thierry, Shawn
Relating to certain public school workforce training programs funded by the skills development fund and to authorizing school districts to provide funding using money received under the Foundation School Program.
Filed 1/8/2021
Anchia, Rafael
Relating to establishing the Texas Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to study and address the impacts of climate change in this state.
In committee
Ramos, Ana-Maria
Relating to the publication of pathogen-related freshwater data by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
In committee
Goodwin, Vikki
Relating to the creation of the Office of Environmental Justice within the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
In committee
Reynolds, Ron
Relating to notice of certain accidental discharges or spills to local government officials by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
In committee
Shaheen, Matt
Relating to a summary of a rule proposed by a state agency.
Out of committee, voted favorably
Talarico, James
Relating to the construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and removal of dams by the Upper Bushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District.
In committee
Lucio III, Eddie
Relating to certain reports created by the Texas Water Development Board.
In committee
Crockett, Jasmine
Relating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.
In committee
Beckley, Michelle
Relating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.
In committee
Hefner, Cole
Relating to a study of the conversion of surface mine pits and quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this state's available water supply.
In committee
Talarico, James
Related to lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.
In committee
Wilson, Terry
Relating to water research conducted by The University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology.
In committee
Stephenson, Phil
Relating to notice of contamination of a public water supply to certain water providers by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
In committee
Bell, Cecil
Relating to rates established by municipalities for water and sewer services.
In committee
Zwiener, Erin
Relating to financial assistance provided to political subdivisions by the Texas Water Development Board for nature-based water quality enhancement projects.
In committee
Morales Shaw, Penny
Relating to the participation by local governments in water quality control measures.
In committee
Leach, Jeff
Relating to the operation and administration of the State Office of Administrative Hearings, including procedures during a declared disaster and the use of videoconferencing technology to conduct administrative hearings.
In committee
Burrows, Dustin
Relating to the creation and activities of the Texas Produced Water Consortium.
In committee
King, Tracy
Relating to a restriction on permits authorizing direct discharges of waste or pollutants into water in certain stream segments or assessment units.
Filed 3/12/2021
Swanson, Valoree
Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for legislative review or approval of state agency rules.
Filed 11/9/2020; Companion Resolutions HJR 88 and HJR 149
Zwiener, Erin
Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the water infrastructure resiliency fund and the critical infrastructure resiliency fund to assist in the financing of certain infrastructure projects.
In committee
Johnson, Nathan
Relating to performance standards for certain aboveground storage tanks.
In committee
Hall, Bob
Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.
In committee
Eckhardt, Sarah
Relating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.
In committee
Eckhardt, Sarah
Relating to the transmission of water across two or more county lines for the purpose of providing wholesale water service.
Filed 1/11/2021
Huffman, Joan
Relating to notice requirements for leased residential property, manufactured home lots, or commercial property located in a flood zone.
Filed 1/11/2021; Companion Bills HB 970 and SB 640
Powell, Beverly
Relating to the award of grants by the Texas Workforce Commission to facilitate the participation of certain veterans and military personnel in apprenticeship training programs.
In committee
Miles, Borris
Relating to the minimum amount of an administrative penalty assessed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a violation of certain laws.
In committee
Perry, Charles
Relating to the creation and activities of the Texas Produced Water Consortium.
In committee
Nichols, Robert
Relating to the location of pits used in the production of oil and gas.
In committee
Gutierrez, Roland
Relating to the winterization and emergency preparedness for electric utilities, power generation companies, municipally-owned utilities, and electric cooperatives.
In committee
Zaffirini, Judith
Relating the procedure for amending or revoking certificates of public convenience and necessity issued to certain retail public utilities.
In committee
Johnson, Nathan
Relating to the authority of certain water planning entities to hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call or videoconference call.
In committee
Eckhardt, Sarah
Relating to the use of green stormwater infrastructure in new state buildings
In committee
Perry, Charles
Relating to guidance on the regulations applicable to the potable reuse of wastewater.
In committee