Monitoring the Session

HB 1730

Forever Chemicals Bill Orders One Study, Then Expires

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsReviewed
Rep. Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148
Why it's charged
Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

…“shall prepare a report with the conclusions of the study and submit the report to the legislature”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only action is a study and a report due December 1, 2026. Any rule or limit on these chemicals waits for a later bill.

Study, task force, commission, report

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to a study regarding the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals on public health.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Report due December 1, 2026. Any limit on PFAS waits for a later bill.

The bill orders the University of Houston to pick a department to study how PFAS "forever chemicals" affect public health, working with the Railroad Commission and the environmental quality commission. The study must look at these chemicals in food and packaging, in drinking water sources, and in equipment that firefighters and chemical workers touch. A report goes to the Legislature by December 1, 2026, and the law expires at the end of 2026, so nothing changes on the ground beyond the study itself.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 4577 (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4577 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Environmental Regulation committee 6-0 on May 2, 2025. Placed on the General State Calendar on May 15, 2025. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1730 · 2025-01-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148 Rep. Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63 Rep. Lulu FloresDHouse 51

+ 2 more authors, 19 coauthors

ITEM

relating to a study regarding the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals on public health.

WHAT IT DOES

Report due December 1, 2026. Any limit on PFAS waits for a later bill.

The bill orders the University of Houston to pick a department to study how PFAS "forever chemicals" affect public health, working with the Railroad Commission and the environmental quality commission. The study must look at these chemicals in food and packaging, in drinking water sources, and in equipment that firefighters and chemical workers touch. A report goes to the Legislature by December 1, 2026, and the law expires at the end of 2026, so nothing changes on the ground beyond the study itself.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 90%

THE TEXT

…“shall prepare a report with the conclusions of the study and submit the report to the legislature”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only action is a study and a report due December 1, 2026. Any rule or limit on these chemicals waits for a later bill.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 12, 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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Environmental Regulation
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Penny Morales Shaw

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$22KHouse Democratic Caucus$7KTexas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$6K

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 17, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$21,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$21,500.00

Cash
$21,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$21,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 19, 2024 to Aug 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.

Report IDs: 100984943, 101006793, 101044547, 101054176, 101068938.

House Democratic Caucus$7,000.00

House Democratic Caucus

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Apr 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101054176.

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$6,254.03

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$6,254.03

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$6,254.03
Total
$6,254.03
Other filed descriptions $4,070.03printing $2,184.00

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 100984943, 101068938.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$21,500.00

Cash
$21,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$21,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 19, 2024 to Aug 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.

Report IDs: 100984943, 101006793, 101044547, 101054176, 101068938.

×

House Democratic Caucus

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Apr 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101054176.

×

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$6,254.03

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$6,254.03
Total
$6,254.03
Other filed descriptions $4,070.03printing $2,184.00

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 100984943, 101068938.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses40
For
37
Against
2
On
1
Names

For

  • Ameeican Lung Association1 registration
  • City of Irving1 registration
  • Climate Cabinet1 registration
  • El Paso County1 registration
  • Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Hill Country Alliance1 registration
  • Lee County1 registration
  • Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
  • National Wildlife Federation1 registration
  • Public Citizen2 registrations
  • San Marcos TX Utilities1 registration
  • Self11 registrations
  • Self; Air alliance houston1 registration
  • Self; Austin Firefighters Association1 registration
  • Self; Devils River Conservancy1 registration
  • Self; Environment Texas1 registration
  • Self; HubZRO H2-FCEV OneLLC1 registration
  • Self; Texas chapter US Green Building Council1 registration
  • Self; U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association1 registration
  • Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society1 registration
  • Texas Medical Association1 registration
  • Texas Rural Water Association1 registration
  • The Nature Conservancy in Texas1 registration
  • Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Water Environment Association of Texas1 registration

Against

  • Texas Chemistry Council1 registration
  • Texas Oil and Gas Association1 registration

On

  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality1 registration
Sources

40 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 H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 12, 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 I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 4577

by Rep. Morales Shaw, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 22, 2023: Referred to Environmental Regulation

Relating to a study regarding the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals in hydraulic fracturing.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 3, 2025

05/15/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 3:09 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Alma A. AllenDHouse 131 Salman BhojaniDHouse 92 John BryantDHouse 114 Jessica GonzálezDHouse 104 Vikki GoodwinDHouse 47 Carrie IsaacRHouse 73 Shelley LutherRHouse 62 Terry MezaDHouse 105 Christina MoralesDHouse 145 Vincent PerezDHouse 77 Katrina PiersonRHouse 33 Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70 Richard Peña RaymondDHouse 42 Ana-María Rodríguez RamosDHouse 102 Jon E. RosenthalDHouse 135 Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19 Hubert VoDHouse 149 Charlene Ward JohnsonDHouse 139 Gene WuDHouse 137

House committee · Environmental Regulation · Committee vote 6 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 768 by Menéndez (identical)

Subjects

Environment--General

Environment--Water

Health--General

Interim Studies

Oil & Gas

Safety

Water--General

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

RAILROAD COMMISSION

STATE HEALTH SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 235 words

89R8054 CMO-D

By: Morales Shaw
H.B. No. 1730

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study regarding the effects of perfluoroalkyl and

polyfluoroalkyl chemicals on public health.

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

SECTION 1. STUDY. The president of the University of

Houston shall designate a department or entity at the university to

conduct, in collaboration with the Railroad Commission of Texas and

the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a study on the

effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals on public

health. The study must include an assessment of the health impact of

perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals found in:

(1) produce, meat, and other food and beverage

products, including their packaging;

(2) groundwater, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other

water sources used to supply the public with drinking water; and

(3) equipment or materials that:

(A) likely contain perfluoroalkyl and

polyfluoroalkyl chemicals; and

(B) regularly come in contact with

professionals, including firefighters and chemical manufacturing

workers.

SECTION 2. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026,

the department or entity at the University of Houston designated

by the president of the university to conduct the study under

Section 1 of this Act shall prepare a report with the conclusions of

the study and submit the report to the legislature.

SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires December 31, 2026.

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September

1, 2025.