Monitoring the Session

SB 1211

Bill Widens Fracturing Tax Break To Any Water But Freshwater

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Charles PerryRSenate 28
Why it's charged
Pitch: Corporate welfare

ACTUALLY

…“process, reuse, or recycle water, other than freshwater,”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill widens a sales tax break that only oil and gas well fracturing operations can use, moving it from wastewater to all non-freshwater such as brine.

Pitch: Corporate welfare

Initial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to an exemption from sales and use taxes for certain tangible personal property used in hydraulic fracturing.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The statement of intent wants lower oil and gas costs. A wider sales tax exemption delivers.

The bill widens an existing sales and use tax exemption for equipment that processes, reuses, or recycles water for fracturing at oil and gas wells. Before, only equipment for wastewater qualified; now equipment for any water that is not freshwater qualifies, with freshwater defined as water under 1,000 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids. Oil and gas operators will pay no state sales tax on more of their fracturing water equipment starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the Senate Finance committee on Apr 16, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1211 · 2025-02-10

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to an exemption from sales and use taxes for certain tangible personal property used in hydraulic fracturing.

WHAT IT DOES

The statement of intent wants lower oil and gas costs. A wider sales tax exemption delivers.

The bill widens an existing sales and use tax exemption for equipment that processes, reuses, or recycles water for fracturing at oil and gas wells. Before, only equipment for wastewater qualified; now equipment for any water that is not freshwater qualifies, with freshwater defined as water under 1,000 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids. Oil and gas operators will pay no state sales tax on more of their fracturing water equipment starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] PITCH: CORPORATE WELFARE

ACTUALLY

…“process, reuse, or recycle water, other than freshwater,”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill widens a sales tax break that only oil and gas well fracturing operations can use, moving it from wastewater to all non-freshwater such as brine.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($19,240,000)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 15, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1211, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($42,450,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

First year · FY 2026 · ($19,240,000)

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. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Finance
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER

CORPORATE WELFARE

THE TEXT

…“process, reuse, or recycle water, other than freshwater,”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill widens a sales tax break that only oil and gas well fracturing operations can use, moving it from wastewater to all non-freshwater such as brine.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

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 1, 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$60,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Nov 13, 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: 100983698, 101007598, 101030579, 101072377.

Ryan Texas PAC$35,000.00

Ryan Texas PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 25 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 23, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Mar 12, 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: 100983698, 101057700.

Fort Stockton Holdings LP$25,000.00

Fort Stockton Holdings LP

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Nov 23, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 23, 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: 100983698.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Nov 13, 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: 100983698, 101007598, 101030579, 101072377.

×

Ryan Texas PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 25 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 23, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Mar 12, 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: 100983698, 101057700.

×

Fort Stockton Holdings LP

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Nov 23, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 23, 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: 100983698.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($19,240,000)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 15, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1211, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($42,450,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

First year · FY 2026 · ($19,240,000)

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 21, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 10, 2025

04/16/2025 S Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

Senate committee · Finance · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 4382 by Darby (identical)

Subjects

Oil & Gas

Property Interests--Personal Property

Taxation--Sales

Water--Development

Water--General

Text

The text as introduced · 330 words

89R9680 JBD-F

By: Perry
S.B. No. 1211

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an exemption from sales and use taxes for certain

tangible personal property used in hydraulic fracturing.

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

SECTION 1. Section 151.355, Tax Code, is amended to read as

follows:

Sec. 151.355. WATER-RELATED EXEMPTIONS. (a) The following

are exempted from taxes imposed by this chapter:

(1) rainwater harvesting equipment or supplies, water

recycling and reuse equipment or supplies, or other equipment,

services, or supplies used solely to reduce or eliminate water use;

(2) equipment, services, or supplies used solely for

desalination of surface water or groundwater;

(3) equipment, services, or supplies used solely for

brush control designed to enhance the availability of water;

(4) equipment, services, or supplies used solely for

precipitation enhancement;

(5) equipment, services, or supplies used solely to

construct or operate a water or wastewater system certified by the

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as a regional system;

(6) equipment, services, or supplies used solely to

construct or operate a water supply or wastewater system by a

private entity as a public-private partnership as certified by the

political subdivision that is a party to the project; and

(7) tangible personal property specifically used to

process, reuse, or recycle water, other than freshwater,

[ wastewater ] that will be used in fracturing work performed at an

oil or gas well.

(b) For the purposes of this section, "freshwater" means

water containing less than 1,000 milligrams per liter of total

dissolved solids.

SECTION 2. Section 151.355, Tax Code, as amended by this

Act, does not affect tax liability accruing before the effective

date of this Act. That liability continues in effect as if this Act

had not been enacted, and the former law is continued in effect for

the collection of taxes due and for civil and criminal enforcement

of the liability for those taxes.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.