Monitoring the Session

HB 2346

bill letting counties set water rules outside city limits

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Erin ZwienerDHouse 45

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 the adoption of a water conservation program by a county.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Farms exempt. Where a city rule covers it, the city wins.

The bill lets a county commissioners court adopt, by order, a water conservation program for the unincorporated parts of the county, including areas just outside city limits. The program can set water use restrictions, conservation standards for new development or subdivisions starting after August 31, 2025, and other water-saving strategies, but those restrictions and standards do not apply to agricultural operations. Counties gain a new optional power over water use in rural and fringe areas, and where a city ordinance covers the same conduct, the city rule wins.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 3, 2025 and referred to the House Natural Resources committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2346 · 2025-02-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Erin ZwienerDHouse 45

ITEM

relating to the adoption of a water conservation program by a county.

WHAT IT DOES

Farms exempt. Where a city rule covers it, the city wins.

The bill lets a county commissioners court adopt, by order, a water conservation program for the unincorporated parts of the county, including areas just outside city limits. The program can set water use restrictions, conservation standards for new development or subdivisions starting after August 31, 2025, and other water-saving strategies, but those restrictions and standards do not apply to agricultural operations. Counties gain a new optional power over water use in rural and fringe areas, and where a city ordinance covers the same conduct, the city rule wins.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Natural Resources
FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

“Water use restrictions and water conservation standards established under Subsection (a) do not apply to an agricultural operation”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill gives counties new power to restrict water use and set conservation standards on new development while exempting agricultural operations from those limits.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Erin Zwiener

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25KTexas Sands PAC$22KSandy Spears$11,545

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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 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: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.

Texas Sands PAC$22,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$22,000.00

Cash
$22,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$22,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 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: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.

Sandy Spears$11,545.00
Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 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: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$22,000.00

Cash
$22,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$22,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 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: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.

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 Feb 3, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Natural Resources: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

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

County Government--General

County Government--Land Use & Zoning

Water--Conservation (I097L)

Text

The text as introduced · 209 words

By: Zwiener
H.B. No. 2346

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the adoption of a water conservation program by a

county.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 562, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Subchapter C to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER C. WATER CONSERVATION

Sec. 562.051. WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. (a) The

commissioners court of a county by order may adopt a water

conservation program. Except as provided by Subsection (b), a

water conservation program adopted under this section may establish

for the unincorporated area of the county, including the

extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality:

(1) water use restrictions;

(2) water conservation standards applicable to a

development, redevelopment, or subdivision of a tract of land that

begins after August 31, 2025; and

(3) other strategies intended to reduce water use,

water loss, or otherwise conserve water resources.

(b) Water use restrictions and water conservation standards

established under Subsection (a) do not apply to an agricultural

operation, as defined by Section 251.002, Agriculture Code.

(c) To the extent of a conflict between a county order

adopted under this section and a municipal ordinance regulating the

same conduct, the ordinance prevails.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.