HB 1424
Goodwin Water Bill’s New Fee Always Has Someone To Charge
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
New fee, fund, board or appointees
THE TEXT
“A retail public utility may establish an excessive use fee for the utility's customers whose water usage is greater than the water usage of a percentage of the utility's other customers.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill authorizes a new surcharge tied to how a customer ranks against other customers, not to any fixed amount of use, so some share of customers can always be charged. The caption does disclose that it authorizes a fee.
New fee, fund, board or appointeesInitial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the structuring of water rates by retail public utilities to promote water conservation; authorizing a fee.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Excessive use fee, graded on a curve! The utility or city picks the percentage.
The bill lets cities, regulated water utilities and other retail water providers charge heavier water users a higher rate per unit than lighter users. It also lets them add an "excessive use fee" on customers whose usage tops that of some percentage of other customers, with the percentage left for the utility or city to pick. Nothing is required, but any water customer in Texas could see tiered bills and a new surcharge starting September 1, 2025 if their provider opts in.
Labels
Labels: FEE INCLUDED. The caption of the graded version (introduced) reads: “relating to the structuring of water rates by retail public utilities to promote water conservation; authorizing a fee.”NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 20, 2024 and referred to the House Natural Resources committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB1424 · 2024-11-20
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the structuring of water rates by retail public utilities to promote water conservation; authorizing a fee.
WHAT IT DOES
Excessive use fee, graded on a curve! The utility or city picks the percentage.
The bill lets cities, regulated water utilities and other retail water providers charge heavier water users a higher rate per unit than lighter users. It also lets them add an "excessive use fee" on customers whose usage tops that of some percentage of other customers, with the percentage left for the utility or city to pick. Nothing is required, but any water customer in Texas could see tiered bills and a new surcharge starting September 1, 2025 if their provider opts in.
CHARGES
[x] NEW FEE, FUND, BOARD OR APPOINTEESanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
“A retail public utility may establish an excessive use fee for the utility's customers whose water usage is greater than the water usage of a percentage of the utility's other customers.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill authorizes a new surcharge tied to how a customer ranks against other customers, not to any fixed amount of use, so some share of customers can always be charged. The caption does disclose that it authorizes a fee.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Natural Resources
FILED UNDER
DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID
THE TEXT
“establish an excessive use fee for water customers whose water usage is greater than the water usage of a percentage of the municipality's other customers”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill decides who pays more for water by letting providers surcharge the heaviest users, with the cutoff set as a percentage chosen locally.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 20, 2024
03/11/2025 H Referred to Natural Resources: Mar 11 2025 3:26PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Natural Resources · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
City Government--General
City Government--Utilities
Utilities--Water & Sewer
Water--Conservation (I097L)
Text
The text as introduced · 444 words
89R2013 ANG-D By: Goodwin H.B. No. 1424 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the structuring of water rates by retail public utilities to promote water conservation; authorizing a fee. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 552, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 552.9065 to read as follows: Sec. 552.9065. WATER CONSERVATION RATE AND FEE. The governing body of a municipality may by ordinance: (1) structure the municipality's rates for water service in a manner that promotes water conservation by all of the municipality's water customers so that customers in a class who consume greater amounts of water pay a higher rate per unit volume than customers in a class who consume lesser amounts of water; and (2) establish an excessive use fee for water customers whose water usage is greater than the water usage of a percentage of the municipality's other customers. SECTION 2. The heading to Section 13.182, Water Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 13.182. JUST AND REASONABLE RATES ; WATER CONSERVATION RATE STRUCTURE AND FEE . SECTION 3. Section 13.182, Water Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows: (b-2) In establishing a utility's rates, the regulatory authority by rule or ordinance may authorize a utility to: (1) structure the utility's rates in a manner that promotes water conservation by all of the utility's customer classes so that customers in a class who consume greater amounts of water pay a higher rate per unit volume than customers in a class who consume lesser amounts of water; and (2) establish an excessive use fee for customers whose water usage is greater than the water usage of a percentage of the utility's other customers. SECTION 4. Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended by adding Subchapter O to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER O. WATER CONSERVATION RATE AND FEE Sec. 13.551. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies to a retail public utility that is not subject to Subchapter F or Section 552.9065, Local Government Code. Sec. 13.552. TIERED CONSERVATION RATE STRUCTURE. A retail public utility may establish a water conservation rate that promotes water conservation by all of the utility's customer classes so that customers in a class who consume greater amounts of water pay a higher rate per unit volume than customers in a class who consume lesser amounts of water. Sec. 13.553. EXCESSIVE USE FEE. A retail public utility may establish an excessive use fee for the utility's customers whose water usage is greater than the water usage of a percentage of the utility's other customers. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.