TGWA tracking groundwater, business bills in 89th Texas Legislature

TGWA is tracking proposed state legislation that could impact the groundwater industry and our members, including:

​Senate Joint Resolution 66 and House Joint Resolution 7: These bills propose a constitutional amendment, that if approved by voters, would direct a yearly amount of $1 billion from general revenue to the Texas water fund.

Senate Bill 100: This bill has been referred to the Senate Business & Commerce Committee. The bill proposes amendments to the Texas Occupations Code, specifically regarding the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licensing of certain out-of-state applicants. The bill also proposes a maximum fee of $100 for out-of-state applicants, which is significantly lower than the fee for Texas applicants in many industries.

SB542: This bill has been referred to the Senate Business & Commerce Committee. It would prohibit property owners’ associations from assessing fines for discolored vegetation or turf during a period of residential watering restriction.

SB616 (Companion to HB1618): This bill passed out of the Senate committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs. According to the Senate Research Center, the bill aims to maintain the current prohibition on waste injection wells in certain areas of the Edwards Aquifer, while allowing TCEQ to approve aquifer storage and recovery injection wells in those areas.

SB624 (Companion to HB1633): This bill has been referred to the Senate Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs Committee. It involves the criteria considered by groundwater conservation districts before granting or denying a permit or permit amendment.

SB768: This bill has been referred to the Senate Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs Committee. It would create a study by the University of Houston and state agencies on the effects of PFAS chemicals on public health, including health impacts of PFAS in groundwater.

SB879 (Companion to HB 1971): This bill builds on recent legislation and state rulemaking by creating an exemption for drillers or operators of closed-loop geothermal injection wells from certain Railroad Commission requirements.

​HB2034: This bill has not yet been assigned to a committee. It would restrict issuing groundwater permits for certain foreign organizations or governments.

HB310: This bill has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. It would enable money transferred from the Texas water fund for water infrastructure projects to go to smaller municipalities.

HB2545: This bill would establish the Rural Workforce Training Grant Program. The grants would provide “targeted funding for job-specific workforce training and related services to strengthen the skills, resources, and career opportunities of the rural workforce” in Texas.

HB182: This bill has been referred to the House State Affairs Committee. It aims at requiring rest breaks for employees of certain governmental entity contractors.

HB446: This bill has been referred to a House subcommittee on workforce. It would create a heat illness prevention advisory board that adopts rules for workplace heat illness prevention.

SB339 / ​HB193 / HB691: These bills each aim to increase the minimum wage. 

SB324: Requires state contractors to implement E-verify to earn contracts from state agencies

SB716: Relating to the issuance of an occupational license to certain out-of-state applicants

SB1060 (Companion to HB 1238): Relating to the inspection of the location of a proposed Class I injection well 

House Bill 710 (similar to SB716): Relating to the recognition of occupational licenses and government certifications issued in other states; authorizing a fee

HB2690: Relating to governmental restrictions on the right to earn a living

HB794: Relating to limitations on the enforcement of certain occupational regulations

HB1523: Relating to a prohibition on the authorization by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of the use of a Class V injection well for certain aquifer storage and recovery projects

HB2091: Relating to the provision of financial assistance by the Texas Water Development Board for certain projects

HB1172: Relating to requiring the Department of Information Resources to conduct a study concerning the cybersecurity of small businesses

HB199: Relating to the maximum amount of unemployment benefits payable to an individual during a benefit year under the state unemployment insurance program

​HB822 (similar to HB841/HB 1880): Relating to requiring certain employers to provide paid sick leave to employees

HB875: Relating to workers' compensation insurance coverage and bid bonding requirements for small municipal construction projects

HB1069: Relating to the classification of certain construction workers and the eligibility of those workers for unemployment benefits

HB1078: Relating to the creation, distribution, and posting of a veterans benefits and services poster in the workplace

HB1351: Relating to employment leave for certain family or medical obligations