HB 3781

bill lets the water board fund older distressed communities

Did not pass

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 provision of financial assistance by the Texas Water Development Board for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Water and sewer money flows if the community predates the model rules.

The bill lets the Texas Water Development Board fund water and sewer projects in economically distressed areas even where the board's model subdivision rules are not enforced. The exception applies only if the community being served was built before those model rules were adopted. Older colonia-type neighborhoods in places that never enforced the rules become eligible for state water and sewer money they are now barred from receiving.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Natural Resources committee 11-0 on Apr 24, 2025. Placed on the General State Calendar on May 12, 2025. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3781 · 2025-03-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Don McLaughlinRHouse 80

ITEM

relating to the provision of financial assistance by the Texas Water Development Board for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.

WHAT IT DOES

Water and sewer money flows if the community predates the model rules.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 29, 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 5, 2025Filed
Mar 26, 2025Read first time
Mar 26, 2025Referred to Natural Resources
Apr 9, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 9, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 9, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 9, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 24, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 24, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 24, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 30, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 30, 2025Committee report distributed
May 1, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 10, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 12, 2025Placed on General State Calendar

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Don McLaughlin

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$588K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$239K Greg Abbott Campaign$38K

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 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$588,242.35

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$588,242.35

Cash: $162,000.00
Paid by others: $426,242.35
Total: $588,242.35

advertising $397,182.00polling $29,060.35

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 · 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.

Report IDs: 100978254, 101012305, 101024467, 101055468, 101070410, 101072400.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$238,750.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$238,750.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $88,750.00
Total: $238,750.00

canvassing $80,000.00polling $8,750.00

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 · Sep 4, 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: 101070410, 101072400.

Greg Abbott Campaign$38,115.79

Greg Abbott Campaign

$38,115.79

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $38,115.79
Total: $38,115.79

canvassing $31,811.05texting $5,739.94travel $564.80

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 13, 2024. 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: 100978254.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$588,242.35

Cash: $162,000.00
Paid by others: $426,242.35
Total: $588,242.35

advertising $397,182.00polling $29,060.35

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 · 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.

Report IDs: 100978254, 101012305, 101024467, 101055468, 101070410, 101072400.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$238,750.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $88,750.00
Total: $238,750.00

canvassing $80,000.00polling $8,750.00

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 · Sep 4, 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: 101070410, 101072400.

Greg Abbott Campaign

$38,115.79

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $38,115.79
Total: $38,115.79

canvassing $31,811.05texting $5,739.94travel $564.80

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 13, 2024. 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: 100978254.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses6

For: 5
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
Nueces County1 registration
Self; Webb County1 registration
Webb County1 registration
Webb county1 registration

On

Texas Water Development Board1 registration

Sources

6 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 · April 29, 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 5, 2025

05/12/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

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 · Natural Resources · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Special Districts & Authorities--Water & Utility

Special Districts & Authorities--Water Control Improve Dist.

State Finances--Management & Control

Water--Development

Water--General

ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS

WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 272 words

89R16552 JAM-F

By: McLaughlin
H.B. No. 3781

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of financial assistance by the Texas

Water Development Board for the development of certain projects in

economically distressed areas.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16.343, Water Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (h) to read as follows:

(h) Notwithstanding Subsection (g), the board may consider

an application for funds under Subchapter K, Chapter 17, if the

application is for a water supply or sewer service project that is

located in an area in which the model rules adopted by the board

under this section are not enforced if the community to be served by

the project was developed before the model rules were adopted by the

board under this section.

SECTION 2. Section 17.927, Water Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (b)(6), the board may

provide financial assistance under this subchapter to a political

subdivision for a water supply or sewer service project that is

located in an area in which the model rules adopted by the board

under Section 16.343 are not enforced if the community to be served

by the project was developed before the model rules were adopted by

the board under that section.

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.