Every month during the 87th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, Dr. Todd Votteler and Dr. Robert Mace provide an update on water-related legislation. The key water committees are Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs in the Senate, chaired by Senator Charles Perry (R) of Lubbock, and Natural Resources in the House of Representatives, chaired by Representative Tracy King (D) of Uvalde.
We are now in the endgame. The last day of the regular session is May 31. There is currently a logjam of bills in both chambers. The bills’ authors are trying to force them through the legislative process to beat the May 31 deadline. The Legislature is only required to pass one bill each session. That bill is the state budget, which is SB 1. The SB 1 conferees are still meeting and discussing the differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget. Also, during these final chaotic weeks hearings pop up with little if any advanced notice making it very difficult to track what is happening. And at this point of session, bills can suddenly move quickly or, once dead, reappear zebra-mussel-like attached as an amendment to a different bill.
Read more from Todd Votteler And Robert Mace with Texas + Water here.