Bills: SB 1, HB 500, SB 1, HB 1400, HB 1094, HB 365, HB 1109, HB 647, HB 500

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, groundwater, water conservation, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, innovation fund, local conservation districts, transportation protection agreement, funeral services, insurance exemption

Bills: SB1, HB500, SB1, HB1400, HB 1094, HB365, HB 1109, HB647, HB500

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, groundwater, water conservation, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, innovation fund, local conservation districts, transportation protection agreement, funeral services, insurance exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• So I mentioned earlier the state flood assessment in 2019, the TWDB.
• In response to these findings, the TWDB made several policy recommendations.
• Slide 10, the TWDB adopted Texas's very first state flood...
• In 2015 to 2023, TWDB has received nearly $690 million in federal funding.
• The TWDB has 118 operational stations. Two more are set to come online soon.

Summary: The House Committee on Natural Resources met to focus on flooding issues across Texas, with particular attention to South Texas and the recent catastrophic flooding in Central Texas. Chair Harris and Vice Chair Martinez emphasized that flooding is a statewide problem requiring continued legislative attention. The committee heard invited testimony from Hidalgo County Commissioner David Fuentes and Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 General Manager Raul Sassine, who described the March flood event in Hidalgo County, including more than 20 inches of rain, six deaths, over $100 million in local damage, widespread road flooding, and repeated shutdowns of Interstate 2 and its frontage roads. They argued that existing drainage systems are under capacity, that TxDOT projects must account for downstream drainage impacts, and that local governments have already invested heavily in mitigation through bonds and partnerships. Fuentes and Sassine also described the county’s long-term flood mitigation and water-reuse efforts, including the Delta region water management project, which would capture stormwater, runoff, and treated effluent, reduce flooding, and create potable water supply. They said the drainage district manages about 780 miles of channels and 1,100 acres of detention facilities, has used prior Flood Infrastructure Fund and GLO grants, and has ongoing applications for additional state and federal assistance. Members discussed the need for TxDOT coordination, emergency access on frontage roads, local “skin in the game,” and the possibility of combining flood control with aquifer recharge and water supply projects. Texas Water Development Board Executive Administrator Brian McMath then presented an overview of the state’s flood planning and funding framework, including the post-Harvey legislative changes that created the Flood Infrastructure Fund, the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund, and the regional/state flood planning process. He summarized the first state flood plan adopted in 2024, noting that about one in six Texans live or work in known flood hazard areas and that regional plans identified 4,609 flood risk reduction solutions with an estimated cost of $54.5 billion. He also reviewed TWDB programs for flood grants, community assistance, flood insurance compliance, stream gauges, TexMesonet, flood mapping, and the TexasFlood.org viewer. Members asked about drainage fees, technical assistance, gauge placement, the relationship between flood maps and FEMA FIRMs, and whether flood mitigation funds could support aquifer storage and recovery or recharge projects; TWDB staff said such projects can be eligible if they include flood mitigation components, but direct technical assistance cannot be paid from Flood Infrastructure Fund dollars. The committee concluded by expressing interest in further study of combining flood mitigation with aquifer recharge, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• These were made by the TWDB.
• These recommendations are required by statute and involve a combination of coordination between TWDB
• In addition to the fifth, the TWDB also administers the Community Assistance Program, or CAP.
• From 2015 to 2023, TWDB has received. nearly $690 million in federal funding.
• The TWDB has one hundred and eight. operational stations. Two more are set to come online soon.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No matter how much funding is available, there will still be gaps at TCEQ and TWDB that need to be addressed

Bills: HB16, HB16, HB1618, HB2692, HB2712, HB2970, HB3609, HB3628

Keywords: judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control

Transcript Highlights:

• However, under current law, all state agencies... ...including TWDB, are required to review their administrative

Bills: HB16, HB1618, HB2692, HB2712, HB2970, HB3609, HB3628, HB16

Keywords: water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control, flood management, water quality, conservation district, bonds, utility rates, ratemaking, water services

Transcript Highlights:

• TWDB stations collect and report all measurements every five minutes.
• It contains TWDB station data, which is pulled from our cloud server.
• It contains TWDB station data, which is pulled from our cloud server.
• For the viewer, we also pull data from non-TWDB stations, from Synoptic and from West Texas Mesonet.
• Synoptic houses TWDB data, partner data, and data from other public and private entities.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness hearing convened in Kerrville with quorum, public testimony limited to three minutes and invited testimony to 10 minutes. Leaders from both chambers, along with the lieutenant governor and speaker, framed the hearing as an unprecedented joint effort focused on learning from the July 4 flood, honoring victims, and identifying actions to reduce future loss of life. The committee also heard opening remarks about decorum, logistics, and the intent to continue work in future sessions. The first panel included Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas IV, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, Upper Guadalupe River Authority representative William Rector, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, and Real County Judge Bella Rubio. They described the flood as sudden and catastrophic, with Kerr County reporting 108 deaths and two missing. Local officials emphasized that they received no timely warning of the scale of the event, that responders and volunteers acted heroically under extreme conditions, and that communications, cell coverage, and rural emergency resources were strained. Several witnesses said the county’s existing alert systems were limited by geography, sparse broadband, and the speed of the flood. Testimony focused on possible improvements, including real-time flood gauges and predictive monitoring, stronger rural emergency management staffing and training, better interoperability and alerting tools such as IPAWS, CodeRED, WENS, and sirens, and expanded broadband and radio coverage. Kerrville asked for a flood warning system before next summer and state help for stormwater, floodplain, and disaster recovery funding. UGRA described its past and current flood-warning and mitigation efforts, including gauge funding, a new software-based flood prediction project, and consideration of additional retention dams. Kendall and Real counties highlighted successful or needed alerting and evacuation practices, while also stressing the difficulty of funding and maintaining such systems in small rural counties. Members asked detailed questions about the timeline of the flood response, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and whether regional consolidation or additional infrastructure could improve future preparedness.

Bills: HB 279, HB 310, HB 365, HB 391, HB 420, HB 422, HB 638

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Bills: HB279, HB310, HB365, HB391, HB420, HB422, HB638, HB279, HB310

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Bills: HB279, HB310, HB365, HB391, HB420, HB422, HB638, HB279, HB310

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• And the purpose of those meetings, which are jointly facilitated by TWDB staff, is to bring together
• The TWDB is preparing to contract with the consulting firm to help develop technical standards, best
• The TWDB is currently establishing a plan for its intended uses during the 2026 and 2027 state fiscal
• There was $312 million available to offer as grants or 0% interest financing, but the TWDB received $2
• The TWDB provides up to $1.5 million in grant funding each fiscal year through a competitive request

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• last biennium totaling $1.8 billion that was appropriated to the comptroller. and was deposited into TWDB
• coverage of about $1.9 million, excuse me. session, the legislature passed a bill to designate the TWDB
• of 55 new stations that we would operate it also helps us kind of coordinate with those other non-TWDB
• The TWDB workforce must mirror this diversity.
• As society becomes more diverse, the TWDB workforce must mirror this diversity.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• TWDB stations collect and report all measurements every five minutes.
• It contains TWDB station data. The viewer is the most common way to interact with the data.
• It contains TWDB station data, which is pulled from our cloud server.
• Synoptic houses TWDB data, partner data, and data from other sources. Need.
• Synoptic houses TWDB data, partner data, and data from other public and private entities.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.

Transcript Highlights:

• The network is a combination of TWDB-installed and owned stations and cooperating agencies.
• Finally, it includes information on TWDB lake levels and conditions, providing access to up-to-date lake
• That data comes into our TWDB systems.
• Meaning they automatically report to NOAA, TWDB, and those systems? How does that work?
• This includes TWDB Water Board Flood Planning Protection grants, which GBRA has secured and performed

Keywords: flooding, emergency response, communication systems, first responders, disaster management, Texas Water Development Board, regional planning, public safety

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on discussions around the recent floods in Texas, specifically addressing emergency preparedness, response coordination, and recovery efforts. Officials from various agencies provided testimonies on the challenges faced during the emergency, including issues with communication systems among first responders. Notably, the need for improved inter-agency communication and technology integration was emphasized, with recommendations for establishing regional communications units for better coordination during disasters. The audience included local government representatives and emergency management partners, who shared insights and experiences from the recent flooding events.

Transcript Highlights:

• The network is a combination of TWDB-installed and owned stations.
• TWDB has 118 operational... Stations.
• It includes information on TWDB lake levels and conditions, providing access to up-to-date lake level
• That data comes into our TWDB systems.
• It's accessible from the Synoptic system and also from our internal TWDB systems.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with the National Weather Service, stakeholders, and as guided by a Texas Water Development Board (TWDB
• The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has 118 operational stations, with two set to come online soon
• Finally, the Flood Viewer includes information on TWDB lake levels and conditions, providing access to
• That data comes into our TWDB systems.
• This includes TWDB and Water Board Flood Planning Protection Grants, which GBRA has secured to perform

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To date, we have jointly financed 20 projects with the TWDB along the Texas-Mexico border, 16 of which

Bills: HB 1240, HB1353, HCR76, HCR90

Keywords: border region, infrastructure, economic development, government operations, education, international cooperation, infrastructure investment, bond issuance, state agencies, shrimp industry, federal regulations, foreign imports, economic impact, public health, Gulf Coast communities, Texas-Israel relations, Israel, Jerusalem, trade office, foreign relations

Transcript Highlights:

• John Dupnick: This is our TWDB groundwater monitoring program.
• With respect to the tools we have to address something, I've found that the tools in our TWDB toolbox
• And from the TWDB perspective, we're actually trying to find wells that aren't affected directly by big
• thing I rely on the most, and I was sorry to hear John Dupnick not praise the groundwater database the TWDB

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The map on your slide shows TWDB-owned stations. owned stations in orange, and the gray triangles show
• TWDB stations collect and report out all measurements every minutes.
• It contains TWDB station data, which is pulled from our cloud server.
• For the viewer, we also pull data from non-TWDB stations.
• Synoptic houses TWDB data, partner data, and data from other public and private entities.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Bills: SB863, SB1190, SB1261, SB1413, SB1624, SB1662, SB1663, SB1855, SB1967, SB2124, SB2204, SB1623

Keywords: Edwards Aquifer, water conservation, reclaimed water, aquifer storage, environmental protection, water loss, municipally owned utilities, Texas Water Development Board, administrative penalties, water audit, water infrastructure, water supply, state water plan, water management strategies, water financing, municipal bonds, revenue bonds, public debt, obligations, TWDB