Monitoring the Session

SB 1055

Southeast Texas groundwater fee cap rises to seven cents

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Robert NicholsRSenate 3

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to permit fees for groundwater wells imposed by the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District.

Caption from analyzed text · version F.

Summary

Up from one cent per thousand gallons!

The bill raises the cap on the groundwater withdrawal fee the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District may charge, from one cent to seven cents per thousand gallons. It touches everyone who pumps groundwater from a permitted well inside that one district. The district can now charge up to seven times its old maximum, starting immediately or on September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on Jun 20, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 2052 (Vetoed). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.QUICK READ: 126 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 126 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1055 · 2025-02-03

SOLD BY

Sen. Robert NicholsRSenate 3

ITEM

relating to permit fees for groundwater wells imposed by the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District.

WHAT IT DOES

Up from one cent per thousand gallons!

The bill raises the cap on the groundwater withdrawal fee the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District may charge, from one cent to seven cents per thousand gallons. It touches everyone who pumps groundwater from a permitted well inside that one district. The district can now charge up to seven times its old maximum, starting immediately or on September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 11, 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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Vote taken in committee
  8. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  9. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  10. Committee report printed and distributed
  11. Placed on intent calendar
  12. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  13. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  14. Vote recorded in Journal
  15. Three day rule suspended
  16. Record vote
  17. Read 3rd time
  18. Passed
  19. Record vote
  20. Reported engrossed
  21. Received from the Senate
  22. Read first time
  23. Referred to Natural Resources
  24. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  25. Considered in public hearing
  26. Left pending in committee
  27. Considered in formal meeting
  28. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  29. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  30. Committee report distributed
  31. Committee report sent to Calendars
  32. Considered in Calendars
  33. Placed on General State Calendar
  34. Read 2nd time
  35. Amendment withdrawn 1-Isaac
  36. Passed to 3rd reading
  37. Record vote RV#3736
  38. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote RV#3863
  42. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  43. House passage reported
  44. Reported enrolled
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Signed in the House
  47. Sent to the Governor
  48. Signed by the Governor
  49. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 110 yea · 29 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 28, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 29, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Robert Nichols

Donors

James I Perkins$25,000Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC$10KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10K

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 2, 2024 to Mar 25, 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.

James I Perkins$25,000.00
Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC$10,000.00

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 5, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Money

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

×

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 5, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Votes5

House May 28, 2025

Yea
110
Nay
29
Present, not voting
4
Absent
1
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3863

SB 1055 was passed by (Record 3863): 110 Yeas, 29 Nays, 4 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 110 (published)
  • Nay: 29 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 4 (published)
  • Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea
110
Nay
26
Present, not voting
2
Absent
8
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3736

SB 1055 was passed to third reading by (Record 3736): 110 Yeas, 26 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 110 (published)
  • Nay: 26 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 8 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 29, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Nichols moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 1055 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 29, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Nichols moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 1055 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 29, 2025

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses3
For
3
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • North Plains Groundwater Conservation District1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Rolling Plains Groundwater Conservation District1 registration
Sources

3 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 11, 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 F by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 2052

by Sen. Nichols, same lead author · Vetoed · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Jun 16, 2023: Vetoed by the Governor

Relating to permit fees for groundwater wells imposed by the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 3, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Sponsors
Trent AshbyRHouse 9

House committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 8 aye, 0 nay, 5 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

SOUTHEAST TEXAS GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT (DS8SV)

Fees & Other Nontax Revenue--Local

Special Districts & Authorities--Groundwater Conserve Dist.

Special Districts & Authorities--Water & Utility

Water--Conservation (I097L)

Text

The text as introduced · 126 words

89R5944 SCR-D

By: Nichols
S.B. No. 1055

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to permit fees for groundwater wells imposed by the

Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District.

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

SECTION 1. Section 8868.153(c), Special District Local Laws

Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) The fee may not exceed seven cents [ one cent ] per

thousand gallons of groundwater withdrawn for any purpose.

SECTION 2. 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.