HB 4331: Streamlined Flood Reviews Due Months Before The Law Expires

Caption

relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of the state environmental review process for certain projects eligible for financial assistance from the flood infrastructure fund and the implementation of streamlining procedures based on the results of the study.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Study first. Guidelines by January 1, 2027. The whole law expires September 1, 2027!

The bill orders the Texas Water Development Board to study ways to speed up the state environmental review of flood control and drainage projects that can get money from the flood infrastructure fund. By January 1, 2027, the board must also write and use internal guidelines to streamline that review, based on the study. The whole law expires September 1, 2027, so any change on the ground is internal board procedure that may arrive just months before the law itself ends.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 10, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4331 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Janie LopezRHouse 37

Rep. Oscar LongoriaDHouse 35

Rep. R.D. "Bobby" GuerraDHouse 41

+ 2 more authors, 8 coauthors

ITEM

relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of the state environmental review process for certain projects eligible for financial assistance from the flood infrastructure fund and the implementation of streamlining procedures based on the results of the study.

WHAT IT DOES

Study first. Guidelines by January 1, 2027. The whole law expires September 1, 2027!

The bill orders the Texas Water Development Board to study ways to speed up the state environmental review of flood control and drainage projects that can get money from the flood infrastructure fund. By January 1, 2027, the board must also write and use internal guidelines to streamline that review, based on the study. The whole law expires September 1, 2027, so any change on the ground is internal board procedure that may arrive just months before the law itself ends.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

“conduct a study to identify ways to streamline the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The board's streamlining guidelines must be based on the results of a study, so the real action waits for the study. The caption openly says it is a study.

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“Not later than January 1, 2027, the Texas Water”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The key duty is not due until January 1, 2027, after the November 3, 2026 election. The Act then expires September 1, 2027, leaving a short window for it to matter.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 6, 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 11, 2025Filed
Apr 1, 2025Read first time
Apr 1, 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 29, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 29, 2025Recommended to be sent to Local & Consent
Apr 29, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 5, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 5, 2025Committee report distributed
May 6, 2025Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar
May 8, 2025Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
May 10, 2025Placed on Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar
May 10, 2025Read 2nd time
May 10, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 10, 2025Nonrecord vote recorded in Journal
May 10, 2025Read 3rd time
May 10, 2025Passed
May 10, 2025Record vote RV#1985
May 10, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 10, 2025Nonrecord vote recorded in Journal
May 10, 2025Reported engrossed
May 12, 2025Received from the House

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 85 yea · 43 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 10, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Janie Lopez

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$504K Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$489K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$487K

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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$504,349.82

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$504,349.82

Cash: $45,000.00
Paid by others: $459,349.82
Total: $504,349.82

advertising $380,541.56mail $48,297.91polling $30,510.35

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 31, 2024 to Oct 6, 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101036578, 101036586, 101058662, 101067886, 101070167.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$488,665.88

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$488,665.88

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $488,665.88
Total: $488,665.88

television $202,708.00mailers $127,420.46mailer $47,655.97digital $47,523.75canvassing $20,149.00polling $16,200.00Other filed descriptions $10,991.57text $10,252.13radio $5,765.00

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 · Nov 4, 2024 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101035068, 101036578, 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$486,622.50

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$486,622.50

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $436,622.50
Total: $486,622.50

advertising $181,100.00canvassing $140,822.50media $100,000.00polling $5,800.00Other filed descriptions $5,000.00texting $3,900.00

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 · Feb 13, 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: 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$504,349.82

Cash: $45,000.00
Paid by others: $459,349.82
Total: $504,349.82

advertising $380,541.56mail $48,297.91polling $30,510.35

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 31, 2024 to Oct 6, 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101036578, 101036586, 101058662, 101067886, 101070167.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$488,665.88

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $488,665.88
Total: $488,665.88

television $202,708.00mailers $127,420.46mailer $47,655.97digital $47,523.75canvassing $20,149.00polling $16,200.00Other filed descriptions $10,991.57text $10,252.13radio $5,765.00

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 · Nov 4, 2024 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101035068, 101036578, 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$486,622.50

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $436,622.50
Total: $486,622.50

advertising $181,100.00canvassing $140,822.50media $100,000.00polling $5,800.00Other filed descriptions $5,000.00texting $3,900.00

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 · Feb 13, 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: 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

Votes1

House May 10, 2025

Yea: 85
Nay: 43
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 7
Excused: 11

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

The shared roll contains conflicting member evidence. Those positions remain conflicting.

Holt is listed as excused in the shared roll and nay in this bill's list. That position remains conflicting.

Troxclair is listed as excused in the shared roll and nay in this bill's list. That position remains conflicting.

Sources

Record 1985

HB 4331 (Alders, Bonnen, Buckley, Bumgarner, Cain, Capriglione, Cunningham, Curry, DeAyala, Dyson, Harrison, Hayes, Holt, Hopper, Hull, Isaac, LaHood, Leach, Leo Wilson, Little, Lowe, Luther, McQueeney, Metcalf, Money, Morgan, Noble, Olcott, Oliverson, Patterson, Pierson, Richardson, Schatzline, Schoolcraft, Shofner, Slawson, Swanson, Tinderholt, Toth, Troxclair, Vasut, Villalobos, Virdell, Wharton, and Wilson - no) (85 - 43 - 2)

Shared roll motion

The following bills which were considered on second reading on the previous legislative day on the local, consent, and resolutions calendar were laid before the house, read third time, and passed by the following record vote (members registering votes and the results of the vote are shown following the bill number). (Record 1985): 128 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 85 (published)
Nay: 43 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 7 (derived from named list)
Excused: 11 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses10

For: 9
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

Brownsville Public Utilities Board1 registration
Cameron County Drainage District No. 51 registration
City of Harlingen2 registrations
City of Palm Valley1 registration
City of San Benito2 registrations
Self1 registration
Self; Cameron County Drain Dist 51 registration

On

Self; Texas chapter of US Green Building Council1 registration

Sources

10 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 · April 6, 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 11, 2025

05/12/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:55 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Alma A. AllenDHouse 131

Rhetta Andrews BowersDHouse 113

Terry CanalesDHouse 40

Stan KitzmanRHouse 85

John LujanRHouse 118

Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

Sergio Muñoz Jr.DHouse 36

Richard Peña RaymondDHouse 42

House committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 12 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Environment--Water

Interim Studies

State Finances--Management & Control

Water--Development

Water--General

FLOODS

WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 210 words

89R14359 CMO-F

By: Lopez of Cameron
H.B. No. 4331

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of the

state environmental review process for certain projects eligible

for financial assistance from the flood infrastructure fund and the

implementation of streamlining procedures based on the results of

the study.

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

SECTION 1. Not later than January 1, 2027, the Texas Water

Development Board shall:

(1) conduct a study to identify ways to streamline the

state environmental review process of flood control and drainage

projects eligible for financial assistance from the flood

infrastructure fund under Chapter 15, Water Code; and

(2) develop and implement internal guidelines and

procedures to streamline the state environmental review process for

projects described by Subdivision (1) of this section based on the

results of the study conducted under that subdivision.

SECTION 2. This Act expires September 1, 2027.

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.

Verdict: Smells

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

House May 10, 2025

For

On