Monitoring the Session

HB 5219

Martinez Water Study Bill Orders A Report And Nothing Else

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsNeeds review
Rep. Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39
Why it's charged
Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

“Not later than September 1, 2026, the executive”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only duty is to gather data and send a report to legislative committees. No rule, program, or spending decision follows from it in this text.

Study, task force, commission, report

Needs review · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to an interim study on water resources development in certain counties.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Region M groundwater, studied. Report due September 1, 2026, and the bill expires in 2027.

The bill orders the head of the Texas Water Development Board to study groundwater in Region M, which it says includes Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Maverick, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata Counties. The study covers groundwater levels, the effects of pumping, data tools, predictive models, possible fraud in water contracts, and reviews of state water programs. A report goes to the legislature's water committees and the public by September 1, 2026, and the bill expires September 1, 2027, with no other action required.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 13, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5219 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39

ITEM

relating to an interim study on water resources development in certain counties.

WHAT IT DOES

Region M groundwater, studied. Report due September 1, 2026, and the bill expires in 2027.

The bill orders the head of the Texas Water Development Board to study groundwater in Region M, which it says includes Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Maverick, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata Counties. The study covers groundwater levels, the effects of pumping, data tools, predictive models, possible fraud in water contracts, and reviews of state water programs. A report goes to the legislature's water committees and the public by September 1, 2026, and the bill expires September 1, 2027, with no other action required.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 60%

THE TEXT

“Not later than September 1, 2026, the executive”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only duty is to gather data and send a report to legislative committees. No rule, program, or spending decision follows from it in this text.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($14,181,952)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version H · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 2, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB5219, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($14,181,952) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide a legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($14,181,952)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Natural Resources
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Committee substitute considered in committee
  10. Reported favorably as substituted
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Amended 1-McLaughlin
  18. Passed to engrossment as amended
  19. Record vote RV#2246
  20. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#2311
  24. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  25. Reported engrossed
  26. Received from the House
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 100 yea · 41 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 13, 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

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Armando "Mando" Martinez

Donors

Border Health PAC$10KMarc Rodriguez$9,500Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$9K

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 28, 2024 to Jun 26, 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.

Border Health PAC$10,000.00

Border Health PAC

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 26, 2025. 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: 101026922.

Marc Rodriguez$9,500.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$9,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$9,000.00

Cash
$9,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$9,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Apr 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: 100979779, 101026922, 101055340.

Money

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

×

Border Health PAC

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 26, 2025. 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: 101026922.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$9,000.00

Cash
$9,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$9,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Apr 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: 100979779, 101026922, 101055340.

Votes2

House May 13, 2025

Yea
100
Nay
41
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2311

HB 5219 was passed by (Record 2311): 100 Yeas, 41 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 100 (published)
  • Nay: 41 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

House May 12, 2025

Yea
103
Nay
37
Present, not voting
1
Absent
4
Excused
5
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2246

CSHB 5219, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 2246): 103 Yeas, 37 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 103 (published)
  • Nay: 37 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses5
For
4
Against
0
On
1
Names

For

  • Brownsville Public Utilities Board1 registration
  • Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
  • Self; Chispa Texas1 registration
  • Texas Water Infrastructure Network1 registration

On

  • Texas Water Development Board1 registration
Sources

5 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
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($14,181,952)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version H · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 2, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB5219, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($14,181,952) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide a legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($14,181,952)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

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 14, 2025

05/14/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:58 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

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

Subjects

CAMERON COUNTY

HIDALGO COUNTY

JIM HOGG COUNTY

MAVERICK COUNTY

STARR COUNTY

WEBB COUNTY

WILLACY COUNTY

ZAPATA COUNTY

Interim Studies

Water--Development

WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 346 words

By: Martinez
H.B. No. 5219

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an interim study on water resources development in

certain counties.

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

SECTION 1. In order to engage in a scientific inquiry and

analysis regarding current and projected groundwater production

and to assess the effects of that production on groundwater

conditions, the Executive Administrator of the Texas Water

Development Board shall, for Region M--including Cameron, Hidalgo,

Jim Hogg, Maverick, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata

Counties--undertake the necessary evaluations.

(1) compile and evaluate current data on groundwater

levels, aquifer characteristics, and groundwater use and

production;

(2) fully assess the effects of current and projected

groundwater production on groundwater conditions;

(3) establish a framework for analyzing state agency data to

enable policymakers and agency leadership to make informed,

real-time decisions regarding water resource management, financial

allocations, and contracting;

(4) develop and implement predictive models to enhance the

allocation of state resources, forecast water supply trends, and

guide policy decisions that support water sustainability;

(5) identify, prevent, and mitigate potential fraudulent

transactions or inefficiencies in financial and contractual

processes associated with water infrastructure, permitting, and

management;

(6) assess and demonstrate the effectiveness of state and

federal funding mechanisms in addressing water management

challenges through advanced data analytics;

(7) conduct a performance review of existing state-funded

water management and conservation programs to determine

cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and impact;

(8) Enhance public access to water resource data and agency

policies by creating standardized, user-friendly reporting

mechanisms, incorporating clear visual representations and

interactive tools for better comprehension.

SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2026, the executive

administrator of the Texas Water Development Board shall:

(1) complete the compilation, evaluation, and

assessment of data described by Section 1 of this Act;

(2) prepare a report of the findings of the

compilation, evaluation, and assessment;

(3) submit the report to each standing committee of

the legislature having primary jurisdiction over water

development; and

(4) make copies of the report available to the public.

SECTION 3. This Act expires September 1, 2027.