Monitoring the Session

HB 1971

bill exempting closed-loop geothermal wells from two requirements

Companion SB 879 became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Drew DarbyRHouse 72

Initial 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 an exemption for drillers or operators of closed-loop geothermal injection wells from certain requirements applicable to persons involved in activities under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Two Natural Resources Code rules no longer apply to these drillers.

The bill exempts people seeking or using a Railroad Commission permit by rule for closed-loop geothermal injection wells from two Natural Resources Code requirements that normally apply to people working under the commission's jurisdiction. It touches geothermal drillers and well operators, and the commission that regulates them. Those operators no longer have to meet the requirements in Sections 85.2021 and 91.142 for permit applications filed on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 1 Republican, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1971 · 2025-01-22

SOLD BY

Rep. Drew DarbyRHouse 72 Rep. R.D. "Bobby" GuerraDHouse 41 Rep. Eddie MoralesDHouse 74

+ 1 more author

ITEM

relating to an exemption for drillers or operators of closed-loop geothermal injection wells from certain requirements applicable to persons involved in activities under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas.

WHAT IT DOES

Two Natural Resources Code rules no longer apply to these drillers.

The bill exempts people seeking or using a Railroad Commission permit by rule for closed-loop geothermal injection wells from two Natural Resources Code requirements that normally apply to people working under the commission's jurisdiction. It touches geothermal drillers and well operators, and the commission that regulates them. Those operators no longer have to meet the requirements in Sections 85.2021 and 91.142 for permit applications filed on or after September 1, 2025.

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 20, 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 Energy Resources
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
  13. Considered in Calendars
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
  15. Read 2nd time
  16. Postponed 4/28/25 10:00 AM
  17. Laid out as postponed business
  18. Postponed 5/1/25 10:00 AM
  19. Companion considered in lieu of SB 879
  20. Laid on the table subject to call
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Drew Darby

Donors

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$50KGideon Powell$30,000Dustin Burrows Campaign$28K

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 · Jul 9, 2024 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.

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$50,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$50,000.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$50,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 8, 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: 101007659, 101072052.

Gideon Powell$30,000.00
Dustin Burrows Campaign$27,600.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$27,600.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$27,600.00
Total
$27,600.00
polling $27,600.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Aug 5, 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: 101068080.

Money

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

×

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$50,000.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$50,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 8, 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: 101007659, 101072052.

×

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$27,600.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$27,600.00
Total
$27,600.00
polling $27,600.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Aug 5, 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: 101068080.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses14
For
12
Against
1
On
1
Names

For

  • BP1 registration
  • Chevron1 registration
  • Fasken Oil and Ranch1 registration
  • Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
  • R Street Institute1 registration
  • Self4 registrations
  • Texas 20361 registration
  • Texas Association of Business1 registration
  • Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance1 registration

Against

  • Self1 registration

On

  • Railroad Commission of Texas1 registration
Sources

14 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 20, 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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 22, 2025

05/01/2025 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.

House committee · Energy Resources · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 879 by Birdwell (identical)

Subjects

Energy--General

Energy--Geothermal (IP9BV)

Environment--Water

Mines & Mineral Resources

INJECTION WELLS

PERMITS

RAILROAD COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 158 words

89R8807 ANG-F

By: Darby
H.B. No. 1971

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an exemption for drillers or operators of closed-loop

geothermal injection wells from certain requirements applicable to

persons involved in activities under the jurisdiction of the

Railroad Commission of Texas.

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

SECTION 1. Section 27.037, Water Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:

(c-1) Sections 85.2021 and 91.142, Natural Resources Code,

do not apply to a person who submits a request for authorization or

is authorized to use a valid permit by rule issued by the railroad

commission under this section.

SECTION 2. Section 27.037, Water Code, as amended by this

Act, applies to a permit application or materially amended permit

application that is filed with the Railroad Commission of Texas on

or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.