SB 1302: Kolkhorst’s bill on waste discharge general permits

Caption

relating to eligibility for a general permit to discharge waste into or adjacent to waters in this state.

Summary

Lose your general permit and you wait five years to get back.

The bill says that once the state environmental commission denies or suspends a discharger's right to use a general permit to discharge waste into Texas waters, the commission cannot let that discharger back under a general permit for five years. It touches businesses and operators who discharge waste under general permits and the commission that oversees them. On the ground, a discharger kicked off a general permit faces a five-year lockout from that easier permit route, but only for denials or suspensions ordered on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NO AUTOGRAPH. Became law without the governor's signature on Jun 20, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1302 · 2025-02-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

+ 3 coauthors

ITEM

relating to eligibility for a general permit to discharge waste into or adjacent to waters in this state.

WHAT IT DOES

Lose your general permit and you wait five years to get back.

The bill says that once the state environmental commission denies or suspends a discharger's right to use a general permit to discharge waste into Texas waters, the commission cannot let that discharger back under a general permit for five years. It touches businesses and operators who discharge waste under general permits and the commission that oversees them. On the ground, a discharger kicked off a general permit faces a five-year lockout from that easier permit route, but only for denials or suspensions ordered on or after September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · March 17, 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

Feb 14, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Feb 14, 2025Filed
Feb 28, 2025Read first time
Feb 28, 2025Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
Mar 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 17, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 17, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 17, 2025Vote taken in committee
Mar 18, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Mar 18, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Mar 18, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Mar 20, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 10, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 10, 2025Placed on local & uncontested calendar
Apr 10, 2025Laid before the Senate
Apr 10, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 10, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
Apr 10, 2025Three day rule suspended
Apr 10, 2025Record vote
Apr 10, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 10, 2025Passed
Apr 10, 2025Record vote
Apr 10, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 14, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 17, 2025Read first time
Apr 17, 2025Referred to Natural Resources
May 7, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 7, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 7, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
May 7, 2025Left pending in committee
May 15, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 15, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 20, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 20, 2025Committee report distributed
May 21, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 22, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 24, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 27, 2025Read 2nd time
May 27, 2025Passed to 3rd reading
May 27, 2025Read 3rd time
May 27, 2025Postponed 5/28/25 6:30 AM
May 27, 2025Record vote RV#3673
May 27, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 28, 2025Laid out as postponed business
May 28, 2025Passed
May 28, 2025Record vote RV#3918
May 28, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 28, 2025House passage reported
May 28, 2025Reported enrolled
May 30, 2025Signed in the Senate
Jun 1, 2025Signed in the House
Jun 1, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Filed without the Governor's signature
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 135 yea · 4 nay

Senate · 30 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 10, 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

Lois Kolkhorst

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60K Border Health PAC$35K SRR Ranches, LLC$30K

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 11, 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 19, 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: 101007416, 101012417, 101070754.

Border Health PAC$35,000.00

Border Health PAC

$35,000.00

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

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 Dec 6, 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: 101012417.

SRR Ranches, LLC$30,000.00

SRR Ranches, LLC

$30,000.00

Cash: $30,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $30,000.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 101012417, 101070754.

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 19, 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: 101007416, 101012417, 101070754.

×

Border Health PAC

$35,000.00

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

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 Dec 6, 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: 101012417.

×

SRR Ranches, LLC

$30,000.00

Cash: $30,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $30,000.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 101012417, 101070754.

Votes5

House May 28, 2025

Yea: 135
Nay: 4
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 2
Excused: 7

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3918

SB 1302 was passed by (Record 3918): 135 Yeas, 4 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 135 (published)
Nay: 4 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea: 103
Nay: 29
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 13
Excused: 3

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3673

Representative C. Bell moved to postpone consideration of SB 1302 until 6:30 a.m. tomorrow. The motion prevailed by (Record 3673): 103 Yeas, 29 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 103 (published)
Nay: 29 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 13 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Final passage

Yea: 30
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.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

CSSB 1302 (Kolkhorst) Relating to eligibility to use a general permit to discharge waste into or adjacent to waters in this state. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

Yea: 30 (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 10, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea: 30
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.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

CSSB 1302 (Kolkhorst) Relating to eligibility to use a general permit to discharge waste into or adjacent to waters in this state. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

Yea: 30 (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 10, 2025

Passage to engrossment

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.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

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

Sources

CSSB 1302 (Kolkhorst) Relating to eligibility to use a general permit to discharge waste into or adjacent to waters in this state. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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.

Witnesses13

For: 11
Against: 0
On: 2

Names

For

Cook’s Branch Conservancy1 registration
Cook’s Branch Management1 registration
Environmental Defense Action Fund1 registration
Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
National Wildlife Federation1 registration
Self; Cook’s Branch Conservancy, and The Mitchell Family1 registration
Self; Mitchell Family1 registration
Self; Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society1 registration
Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter1 registration
Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops1 registration
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops1 registration

On

TCEQ1 registration
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality1 registration

Sources

13 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.

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

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · March 17, 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 Senate · Filed Feb 14, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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

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

Coauthors

Nathan JohnsonDSenate 16

Borris MilesDSenate 13

Royce WestDSenate 23

Companion

HB 4485 by Bell, Cecil (identical)

Subjects

Environment--Water

PERMITS

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 178 words

89R10160 KRM-D

By: Kolkhorst
S.B. No. 1302

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility for a general permit to discharge waste

into or adjacent to waters in this state.

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

SECTION 1. Section 26.040, Water Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (h-1) to read as follows:

(h-1) After the commission denies or suspends a

discharger's authority to discharge under a general permit under

Subsection (h), the commission may not authorize the discharger to

discharge under a general permit before the fifth anniversary of

the date of the denial or suspension.

SECTION 2. Section 26.040(h-1), Water Code, as added by

this Act, applies only to a denial or suspension ordered on or after

the effective date of this Act. A denial or suspension ordered

before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in

effect on the date the denial or suspension is ordered, and that law

is continued in effect for that purpose.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Border Health PAC

SRR Ranches, LLC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Border Health PAC

SRR Ranches, LLC

House May 28, 2025

House May 27, 2025

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Senate Apr 10, 2025

For

On

Companion