The House — Committee on Natural Resources — 89th Legislature — August 24, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. — Weslaco, TX (See — details below) — — Pursuant to a — notice posted on July 16, 2026, the House Committee on Natural Resources met in — a public hearing and was called to order by the chair, Representative Harris, — at 10:00 a.m. — — The initial quorum — call was answered as follows: Representatives Harris; Martinez; Ashby; Barry; — Bell, Cecil; Buckley; Fairly; Gámez; González, Mary; Romero; Villalobos; and — Zwiener. — — A quorum was — present. — — — The Chair gave — opening remarks. — — The Chair — recognized Vice Chair Martinez to give opening remarks. — — Agency Oversight — — The committee took — invited testimony on the following interim charge: Pursuant to the broad — oversight responsibilities granted to the Committee under Section 301.014, — Government Code, and the House Rules of Procedure, monitor the Texas Water — Development Board, under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, — waste, and abuse, where applicable. — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — (Representative — Martinez in chair.) — — Monitoring — — The committee took — invited testimony on the following interim charge: Monitor the implementation — and associated rulemaking of the following legislation passed by the Committee — and enacted by the 89th Legislature to ensure that legislative purposes are properly — implemented: SB 1169, Relating to the provision of water or sewer service by — public entities operating jointly or concurrently. — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — Regional Water — Planning — — The committee took — invited testimony on the following interim charge: Study the state and regional — water planning process, data used to project long-term water needs and — available water supplies, criteria used to adopt water supply projects and — management strategies, and progress made to address water supply deficits described — within the most recent state water plan. Make recommendations to improve the — state and regional water planning process. — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — (Representative — Harris in chair.) — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — (Representative — Martinez in chair.) — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — (Representative — Harris in chair.) — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — (Representative — Martinez in chair.) — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — (Representative — Harris in chair.) — — Innovative Water — Supply Strategies — — The committee took — invited testimony on the following interim charge: Study the feasibility of the — various project types eligible under the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. — Identify project impediments and strategies to increase their implementation — and contribution to the state’s overall water supply. — — Testimony — taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — At 4:52 p.m., on — the motion of the chair and without objection, the meeting was adjourned — subject to the call of the chair. — — — — Rep. Harris, Chair — — — — Robert Moncada, — Clerk

The House Committee on Natural Resources

89th Legislature

August 24, 2026

10:00 a.m.

Weslaco, TX (See details below)

Pursuant to a notice posted on July 16, 2026, the House Committee on Natural Resources met in a public hearing and was called to order by the chair, Representative Harris, at 10:00 a.m.

The initial quorum call was answered as follows: Representatives Harris; Martinez; Ashby; Barry; Bell, Cecil; Buckley; Fairly; Gámez; González, Mary; Romero; Villalobos; and Zwiener.

A quorum was present.

The Chair gave opening remarks.

The Chair recognized Vice Chair Martinez to give opening remarks.

Agency Oversight

The committee took invited testimony on the following interim charge: Pursuant to the broad oversight responsibilities granted to the Committee under Section 301.014, Government Code, and the House Rules of Procedure, monitor the Texas Water Development Board, under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, waste, and abuse, where applicable.

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Martinez in chair.)

Monitoring

The committee took invited testimony on the following interim charge: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of the following legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature to ensure that legislative purposes are properly implemented: SB 1169, Relating to the provision of water or sewer service by public entities operating jointly or concurrently.

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

Regional Water Planning

The committee took invited testimony on the following interim charge: Study the state and regional water planning process, data used to project long-term water needs and available water supplies, criteria used to adopt water supply projects and management strategies, and progress made to address water supply deficits described within the most recent state water plan. Make recommendations to improve the state and regional water planning process.

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Harris in chair.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Martinez in chair.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Harris in chair.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Martinez in chair.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Harris in chair.)

Innovative Water Supply Strategies

The committee took invited testimony on the following interim charge: Study the feasibility of the various project types eligible under the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. Identify project impediments and strategies to increase their implementation and contribution to the state’s overall water supply.

Testimony taken/registration recorded. (See attached witness list.)

At 4:52 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection, the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.

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Rep. Harris, Chair

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Robert Moncada, Clerk