HB 3724

bill lets cultivated oysters into natural beds with written approval

Companion SB 1215 became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 placement of a cultivated oyster in a natural oyster bed, a private oyster bed, or coastal waters.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The Parks and Wildlife Department signs off in writing. Then in they go.

The bill lets a person put cultivated oysters into natural oyster beds, private oyster beds, or coastal waters if the Parks and Wildlife Department approves it in writing. It touches oyster farmers, the oyster industry, and the department, which must write best management practices for these approvals. On the ground, the current flat ban on placing cultivated oysters in natural or private beds becomes a permit-style system, and the ban now also covers coastal waters unless the department signs off.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3724 · 2025-03-04

SOLD BY

Rep. Denise VillalobosRHouse 34

ITEM

relating to the placement of a cultivated oyster in a natural oyster bed, a private oyster bed, or coastal waters.

WHAT IT DOES

The Parks and Wildlife Department signs off in writing. Then in they go.

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 31, 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

Mar 4, 2025Filed
Mar 26, 2025Read first time
Mar 26, 2025Referred to Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Apr 3, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 3, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 3, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 3, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 8, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 8, 2025Recommended to be sent to Local & Consent
Apr 8, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 11, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 14, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 15, 2025Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar
Apr 23, 2025Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
Apr 25, 2025Placed on Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar
Apr 25, 2025Withdrawn from calendar (contested)
Apr 25, 2025Returned to Local & Consent Calendars Comm.
Apr 25, 2025Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
Apr 25, 2025Transferred to Calendars Committee
Apr 25, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 25, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 29, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 29, 2025Companion considered in lieu of SB 1215
Apr 29, 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

Denise Villalobos

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$555K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$456K Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$327K

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 29, 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 Lawsuit Reform PAC$554,928.87

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$554,928.87

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $519,928.87
Total: $554,928.87

advertising $422,488.50mail $75,707.02polling $21,210.35fundraiser $523.00

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 19, 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: 101011167, 101031617, 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$455,570.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$455,570.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $305,570.00
Total: $455,570.00

canvassing $190,000.00advertising $98,870.00polling $16,700.00

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 · Aug 21, 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: 101069345, 101071979.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$326,800.00

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$326,800.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $326,800.00
Total: $326,800.00

television $225,050.00radio $44,200.00mailer $22,600.00polling $16,700.00Other filed descriptions $10,750.00digital $7,500.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · May 4, 2026 to Oct 22, 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: 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$554,928.87

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $519,928.87
Total: $554,928.87

advertising $422,488.50mail $75,707.02polling $21,210.35fundraiser $523.00

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 19, 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: 101011167, 101031617, 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$455,570.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $305,570.00
Total: $455,570.00

canvassing $190,000.00advertising $98,870.00polling $16,700.00

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 · Aug 21, 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: 101069345, 101071979.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$326,800.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $326,800.00
Total: $326,800.00

television $225,050.00radio $44,200.00mailer $22,600.00polling $16,700.00Other filed descriptions $10,750.00digital $7,500.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · May 4, 2026 to Oct 22, 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: 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses9

For: 8
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

Gulf Trust1 registration
Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
Nueces County1 registration
Self; Copano Oyster Company1 registration
Self; Texas Foundation for Conservation1 registration
Texas Oyster Mariculture Association1 registration
The City of Corpus Christi1 registration
The Nature Conservancy in Texas1 registration

On

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department1 registration

Sources

9 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 31, 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 Mar 4, 2025

04/29/2025 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 · Culture, Recreation & Tourism · Committee vote 8 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 1215 by Kolkhorst (identical)

Subjects

Coastal Affairs & Beaches

Parks & Wildlife--General

Parks & Wildlife--Hunting & Fishing

OYSTERS

PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Text

The text as introduced · 176 words

89R8022 BEE-D

By: Villalobos
H.B. No. 3724

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the placement of a cultivated oyster in a natural oyster

bed, a private oyster bed, or coastal waters.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 75, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended

by adding Section 75.01045 to read as follows:

Sec. 75.01045. PLACEMENT OF CULTIVATED OYSTERS IN CERTAIN

LOCATIONS WITH DEPARTMENT APPROVAL. (a) A person may place a

cultivated oyster in a natural oyster bed, a private oyster bed, or

coastal waters if the department authorizes the placement in

writing.

(b) The department shall adopt best management practices

for authorizing the placement of cultivated oysters under this

section.

SECTION 2. Section 75.0106(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b) No person may place a cultivated oyster in a natural

oyster bed , a [ or ] private oyster bed , or coastal waters, except as

authorized by Section 75.01045 .

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