Monitoring the Session

HB 3740

bill requires state approval for weather modification chemicals

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11

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 chemicals and techniques used in weather modification and control.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Nothing known to harm human health gets approved.

The bill bars licensed weather modification operators from using any chemical or technique unless the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has approved it for that use. The department may not approve anything known to harm human health, and it may ask the Department of Agriculture, TCEQ, the Health and Human Services Commission or others for help deciding. Licensed cloud-seeding and weather modification operators would need state sign-off on their materials and methods once the department writes its rules.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 4, 2025 and referred to the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3740 · 2025-03-04

SOLD BY

Rep. Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11

+ 9 coauthors

ITEM

relating to chemicals and techniques used in weather modification and control.

WHAT IT DOES

Nothing known to harm human health gets approved.

The bill bars licensed weather modification operators from using any chemical or technique unless the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has approved it for that use. The department may not approve anything known to harm human health, and it may ask the Department of Agriculture, TCEQ, the Health and Human Services Commission or others for help deciding. Licensed cloud-seeding and weather modification operators would need state sign-off on their materials and methods once the department writes its rules.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Joanne Shofner

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20KMontgomery Bennett$15,000Bill Patton$11,000

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 3, 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$20,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

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 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: 101007132, 101027774, 101071421.

Montgomery Bennett$15,000.00
Bill Patton$11,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

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 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: 101007132, 101027774, 101071421.

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 Mar 4, 2025

03/26/2025 H Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures: Mar 26 2025 11:31AM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

Coauthors
Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52 Janis HoltRHouse 18 Helen KerwinRHouse 58 David LoweRHouse 91 Don McLaughlinRHouse 80 Mike OlcottRHouse 60 Tom OliversonRHouse 130 Valoree SwansonRHouse 150 Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

House committee · Licensing & Administrative Procedures · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Environment--Air

Environment--Water

WEATHER MODIFICATION

LICENSING & REGULATION, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 311 words

89R14563 MP-D

By: Shofner
H.B. No. 3740

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to chemicals and techniques used in weather modification

and control.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 301, Agriculture Code, is

amended by adding Section 301.118 to read as follows:

Sec. 301.118. USE OF CERTAIN CHEMICALS AND TECHNIQUES. (a)

A license holder may not use a chemical or technique for weather

modification and control unless the chemical or technique has been

approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for

that use.

(b) The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation may not

approve a chemical or technique for use in weather modification and

control if the chemical or technique is known to cause harm to human

health, including harm to the human endocrine, nervous,

respiratory, or reproductive system, when used for that purpose.

(c) In determining whether to approve a chemical or

technique for use in weather modification and control, the Texas

Department of Licensing and Regulation may obtain the assistance

of:

(1) the Department of Agriculture;

(2) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;

(3) the Health and Human Services Commission; or

(4) any other entity the Texas Department of Licensing

and Regulation deems appropriate.

(d) The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall

adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall

adopt rules as required by Section 301.118, Agriculture Code, as

added 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.