Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 1370 amends the Water Code to direct the Texas Water Development Board to undertake or participate in research, studies, investigations, and surveys toward developing seawater desalination as a source of Texas water supplies. The bill requires a report from the board to the governor and legislative presiding officers, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, which shall include study results for the preceding biennium, the impediments to implementation of desalination projects, evaluation of the potential state government role in desalination projects, and the anticipated general revenue appropriations necessary to continue desalination investigations during the succeeding biennium. The bill directs the board to actively pursue federal funding for Texas desalination projects.