Monitoring the Session

SB 2568

Zaffirini’s bill on small flood control reservoirs

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDSenate 21

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the exempt use of flood control reservoirs constructed pursuant to Public Law P.L. 83-566 by qualified local sponsors.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Up to 200 acre-feet, no state water permit needed.

The bill lets certain flood control districts build or maintain small dams and reservoirs, holding up to 200 acre-feet, without getting a state water permit. It covers districts that signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under a federal watershed law to run these reservoirs for erosion, flood and sediment control. Those districts can also take water from the reservoir to repair and maintain the dam without a permit, the exemption survives if the federal agreement ends, and the state environmental agency must write rules by January 1, 2026.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Lead sponsor Stan Gerdes (R) in the House. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 5, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Natural Resources committee 10-0, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2568 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDSenate 21

ITEM

relating to the exempt use of flood control reservoirs constructed pursuant to Public Law P.L. 83-566 by qualified local sponsors.

WHAT IT DOES

Up to 200 acre-feet, no state water permit needed.

The bill lets certain flood control districts build or maintain small dams and reservoirs, holding up to 200 acre-feet, without getting a state water permit. It covers districts that signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under a federal watershed law to run these reservoirs for erosion, flood and sediment control. Those districts can also take water from the reservoir to repair and maintain the dam without a permit, the exemption survives if the federal agreement ends, and the state environmental agency must write rules by January 1, 2026.

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 · April 28, 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. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Vote taken in committee
  9. Reported favorably as substituted
  10. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  11. Committee report printed and distributed
  12. Placed on intent calendar
  13. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  14. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  15. Vote recorded in Journal
  16. Three day rule suspended
  17. Record vote
  18. Read 3rd time
  19. Passed
  20. Record vote
  21. Reported engrossed
  22. Received from the Senate
  23. Read first time
  24. Referred to Natural Resources
  25. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  26. Considered in public hearing
  27. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  28. Left pending in committee
  29. Considered in formal meeting
  30. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  31. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  32. Committee report distributed
  33. Committee report sent to Calendars
  34. Considered in Calendars
  35. Placed on General State Calendar
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 5, 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

Judith Zaffirini

Donors

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000Killam Development Ltd.$73KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60K

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.

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000.00
Killam Development Ltd.$72,700.00

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$62,700.00
Total
$72,700.00
advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 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: 101011018, 101057658.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

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

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 · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 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: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Money

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

×

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$62,700.00
Total
$72,700.00
advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 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: 101011018, 101057658.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

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

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 · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 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: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Votes3

Senate May 5, 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 Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2568 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 May 5, 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 Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2568 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 May 5, 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.

Witnesses7
For
3
Against
1
On
3
Names

For

  • Plum Creek Conservatiion District1 registration
  • Plum Creek Conservation District1 registration
  • Texas Assn of Watershed Sponsors1 registration

Against

  • Self1 registration

On

  • TCEQ1 registration
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality2 registrations
Sources

7 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 · April 28, 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 Mar 13, 2025

05/27/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

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

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

Sponsors
Stan GerdesRHouse 17

House committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Water--Rights

PERMITS

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 368 words

By: Zaffirini
S.B. No. 2568

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the exempt use of flood control reservoirs constructed

pursuant to Public Law P.L. 83-566 by qualified local sponsors.

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

SECTION 1: Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Water Code, is amended

by adding Section 11.1423 to read as follows:

Sec. 11.1423. PERMIT EXEMPTION FOR SPONSORED FLOOD CONTROL

RESERVOIRS. (a) Without obtaining a permit a District operating as

a Qualified Local Sponsor may:

(1) construct or maintain on property owned or

controlled by the Sponsor a dam or reservoir with normal storage of

not more than 200 acre-feet of water for purposes of erosion,

floodwater, and sediment control; and

(2) divert water from the reservoir as needed for the

limited purpose of using the water to repair, maintain,

rehabilitate the impoundment and associated works of improvement to

maintain the operational integrity and purpose of the dam or

reservoir.

(b) As used in this Section, the term "Qualified Local

Sponsor" means any district or authority created by authority of

either Sections 52(b)(1) and (2), Article III, or Section 59,

Article XVI, Texas Constitution, regardless of how created that has

entered into an agreement with the United States Department of

Agriculture, Natural Resources pursuant to Public Law 83-566 to

serve as a local sponsor to operate and maintain the reservoir for

purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.

(c) The exempt status of the reservoir and the beneficial

uses authorized by this Section shall not be affected by the

subsequent termination of the agreement between the district and

United States so long as the reservoir continues to be owned or

controlled by the district for the purposes contemplated by this

Section.

SECTION 2. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

shall adopt rules to implement Section 11.1423, Water Code, as

amended by this Act, not later than January 1, 2026.

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.