HB 1618

bill allowing aquifer storage wells through the Edwards Aquifer

Companion SB 616 became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Rep. Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Only in Williamson County east of Interstate 35. Water goes below the Edwards.

The bill lets the state environmental agency approve aquifer storage and recovery wells that pass through the Edwards Aquifer, but only in the part of Williamson County east of Interstate 35. Those wells must inject water into a rock layer below the Edwards Aquifer, not into the Edwards itself. The agency must write rules for this by March 1, 2026, and the change takes effect immediately or on September 1, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1618 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52

Rep. Terry M. WilsonRHouse 20

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

WHAT IT DOES

Only in Williamson County east of Interstate 35. Water goes below the Edwards.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 29, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Dec 13, 2024Filed
Mar 12, 2025Read first time
Mar 12, 2025Referred to Natural Resources
Apr 2, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 2, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 2, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 2, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 9, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 9, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 15, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 15, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 16, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 22, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 25, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 28, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 28, 2025Postponed 5/2/25 9:00 AM
May 2, 2025Companion considered in lieu of SB 616
May 2, 2025Laid on the table subject to call

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Caroline Harris Davila

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$961K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$739K Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC$75K

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 27, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$960,552.08

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$960,552.08

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $875,552.08
Total: $960,552.08

advertising $595,238.00mail $237,770.40polling $42,460.35fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 101008087, 101031516, 101035818, 101040655, 101057099, 101067933, 101070037.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$739,102.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$739,102.00

Cash: $200,000.00
Paid by others: $539,102.00
Total: $739,102.00

canvassing $430,352.00advertising $100,000.00polling $8,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 101067933, 101070037.

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC$75,000.00

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

$75,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $75,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 6, 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.

Report IDs: 101070037.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$960,552.08

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $875,552.08
Total: $960,552.08

advertising $595,238.00mail $237,770.40polling $42,460.35fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 101008087, 101031516, 101035818, 101040655, 101057099, 101067933, 101070037.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$739,102.00

Cash: $200,000.00
Paid by others: $539,102.00
Total: $739,102.00

canvassing $430,352.00advertising $100,000.00polling $8,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Oct 23, 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.

Report IDs: 101067933, 101070037.

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

$75,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $75,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 6, 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.

Report IDs: 101070037.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses8

For: 7
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

Brazos River Authority3 registrations
Environmental Defense Fund1 registration
Self2 registrations
Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter1 registration

On

TCEQ1 registration

Sources

8 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 29, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Dec 13, 2024

05/02/2025 H Laid on the table subject to call

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

House committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 12 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 616 by Schwertner (identical)

Subjects

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Environment--Water

Water--Development

Water--General

EDWARDS AQUIFER

INJECTION WELLS

PERMITS

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 283 words

89R3058 ANG-F

By: Harris Davila
H.B. No. 1618

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a

portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 27.051(i), Water Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(i) For purposes of this subsection, "Edwards Aquifer" has

the meaning assigned by Section 26.046(a). Except as otherwise

provided by this subsection, the commission may not authorize by

rule or permit an injection well that transects or terminates in the

Edwards Aquifer. The commission by rule or permit may authorize:

(1) injection of groundwater withdrawn from the

Edwards Aquifer;

(2) injections of storm water, flood water, or

groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves located in karst

topographic areas; [ or ]

(3) injections of water made in accordance with

Section 1.44(e)(3), Chapter 626, Acts of the 73rd Legislature,

Regular Session, 1993 ; or

(4) an aquifer storage and recovery project that

includes an ASR injection well, as defined under Section 27.151,

that transects the Edwards Aquifer in the area of Williamson County

east of Interstate Highway 35 for the injection of water into a

geologic formation that underlies the Edwards Aquifer .

SECTION 2. Not later than March 1, 2026, the Texas

Commission on Environmental Quality shall adopt rules to implement

Section 27.051(i), Water Code, as amended by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.