87th Legislature Tracking Table

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 WEAT is tracking. WEAT 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 WEAT's Bill Tracking Table for Texas' 86th Legislative Session.

87th Session High Priority Water Quality Bills
BillSponsorSummaryStatus
HB 70Swanson, ValoreeRelating to legislative review and approval of certain state agency rules.In committee
HB 152Buckley, BradRelating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of groundwater conditions in certain counties.In committee
HB 186Zwiener, ErinRelating 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
HB 242Zwiener, ErinRelating 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
HB 271Murr, AndrewRelating to the procedure by which a state agency may issue an opinion that a watercourse is navigable.In committee
HB 303Collier, NicoleRelating to testing for lead contamination in public school drinking water.In committee
HB 327Howard, DonnaRelating to the Internet broadcast or audio recording of certain open meetings.Out of committee, voted favorably
HB 348 Companion Bill HB 245Zwiener, Erin &
Farrar, Jessica		Relating to a requirement to make certain environmental and water use permit applications available online.In committee
HB 355Lopez, RayRelating to providing notice to a state representative and senator of an administrative penalty assessed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).In committee
HB 520 Companion Bill HB 2312Beckley, MichelleRelating to the regulation by the Texas Department of Transportation of right-of-way landscaping installed by utilities.Filed 11/10/2020
HB 531Walle, ArmandoRelating to notice requirements for a leased dwelling located in a floodplain.Out of committee, voted favorably
HB 605Gervin-Hawkins, BarbaraRelating to the adoption of a healthy and safe school water plan by public schools.In committee
HB 634Morales, EddieRelating to the type of newspaper required for the publication of notices by governmental entities or representatives in certain counties.In committee
HB 711Perez, Mary AnnRelating to performance standards for certain aboveground storage tanks.In committee
HB 714 Companion Bill HB 1491Reynolds, RonRelating to the establishment of the Texas Environmental Justice Advisory Council.Filed 12/3/2020
HB 749Middleton, MayesRelating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.In committee
HB 768Patterson, JaredRelating to the requirement that certain governmental bodies make audio and video recordings of open meetings available on the Internet.In committee
HB 806Gates, GaryRelating to nonsubmetered billing for water or wastewater service.In committee
HB 860 Companion Bill HB 1006Collier, NicoleRelating to changes to an application for an environmental permit before a contested case hearing on the application.Filed 12/17/2020
HB 964Darby, DrewRelating to the treatment, recycling for beneficial use, or disposal of drill cuttings.In committee
HB 966Burns, DeWayneRelating to the award of attorney's fees and other costs in certain suits involving a groundwater conservation district.In committee
HB 968 Companion Bill HB 1804Dutton Jr., HaroldRelating to public comments on matters subject to a hearing under the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.In committee
HB 969 Companion Bills HB 654 &
SB 573		Dutton Jr., Harold & Miles, BorrisRelating 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
HB 975Dutton Jr., HaroldRelating to the notice of intent to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).In committee
HB 1030Shaheen, MattRelating to the publication of required notice by a political subdivision by alternative media.In committee
HB 1032Thierry, ShawnRelating 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
HB 1044Anchia, RafaelRelating to establishing the Texas Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to study and address the impacts of climate change in this state.In committee
HB 1143Ramos, Ana-MariaRelating to the publication of pathogen-related freshwater data by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.In committee
HB 1191Goodwin, VikkiRelating to the creation of the Office of Environmental Justice within the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.In committee
HB 1289Reynolds, RonRelating to notice of certain accidental discharges or spills to local government officials by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.In committee
HB 1322Shaheen, MattRelating to a summary of a rule proposed by a state agency.Out of committee, voted favorably
HB 1606Talarico, JamesRelating to the construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and removal of dams by the Upper Bushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District.In committee
HB 1866Lucio III, EddieRelating to certain reports created by the Texas Water Development Board.In committee
HB 1904Harris, CodyRelating to the use of the water infrastructure fund.In committee
HB 1949Crockett, JasmineRelating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.In committee
HB 1956Beckley, MichelleRelating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.In committee
HB 2019Hefner, ColeRelating 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
HB 2038Talarico, JamesRelating to lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.In committee
HB 2095Wilson, TerryRelating to water research conducted by the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology.In committee
HB 2148Stephenson, PhilRelating to notice of contamination of a public water supply to certain water providers by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).In committee
HB 2224Bell, CecilRelating to rates established by municipalities for water and sewer services.In committee
HB 2268Paul, DennisRelating to disconnection notices for water and sewer service.In committee
HB 2275Zwiener, ErinRelating to critical infrastructure resiliency and financing.In committee
HB 2350Zwiener, ErinRelating to financial assistance provided to political subdivisions by the Texas Water Development Board for nature-based water quality enhancement projects.In committee
HB 2368Morales Shaw, PennyRelating to the participation by local governments in water quality control measures.In committee
HB 2426Murr, AndrewRelating to water quality protection areas.In committee
HB 2580Leach, JeffRelating 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
HB 3096Burrows, DustinRelating to the creation and activities of the Texas Produced Water Consortium.In committee
HB 4146King, TracyRelating 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
HJR 6 Companion Resolutions
HJR 88 &
HJR 149		Swanson, Valoree & Toth, SteveProposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for legislative review or approval of state agency rules.Filed 11/9/2020
HJR 103Zwiener, ErinProposing 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
SB 126Johnson, NathanRelating to performance standards for certain aboveground storage tanks.In committee
SB 152Perry, CharlesRelating to the regulation of groundwater conservation districts.In committee
SB 234Hall, BobRelating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.In committee
SB 306Eckhardt, SarahRelating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.In committee
SB 307Eckhardt, SarahRelating to the transmission of water across two or more county lines for the purpose of providing wholesale water service.Filed 1/11/2021
SB 314 Companion Bills HB 970 &
SB 640		Huffman, Joan &
Walle, Armando		Relating to notice requirements for leased residential property, manufactured home lots, or commercial property located in a flood zone.Filed 1/11/2021
SB 337 Companion Bill HB 2588Powell, Beverly & Phelan, DadeRelating 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
SB 366Miles, BorrisRelating 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
SB 531Kolkhorst, LoisRelating to the use of the water infrastructure fund.In committee
SB 601Perry, CharlesRelating to the creation and activities of the Texas Produced Water Consortium.In committee
SB 669Springer, DrewRelating to certain reports by the Texas Water Development Board.In committee
SB 772Nichols, RobertRelating to the location of pits used in the production of oil and gas.In committee
SB 817Gutierrez, RolandRelating to the winterization and emergency preparedness for electric utilities, power generation companies, municipally-owned utilities, and electric cooperatives.In committee
SB 830Zaffirini, JudithRelating the procedure for amending or revoking certificates of public convenience and necessity issued to certain retail public utilities.In committee
SB 859Johnson, NathanRelating to the authority of certain water planning entities to hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call or videoconference call.In committee
SB 888Eckhardt, SarahRelating to the use of green stormwater infrastructure in new state buildings.In committee
SB 900Alvarado, CarolRelating to the safety of aboveground storage tanks.In committee
SB 905Perry, CharlesRelating to guidance on the regulations applicable to the potable reuse of wastewater.In committee
SB 28Perry, Charles