SB 2671

Hinojosa Geothermal Bill Seats Up To 11 Appointees To Study

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Juan "Chuy" HinojosaDSenate 20

Both charges, and why

Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

…“is established within the commission to study and make”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only operative duty is for the council to study and recommend; no regulation of geothermal production changes until a later legislature acts on the recommendations.

Study, task force, commission, report

New fee, fund, board or appointees

THE TEXT

“not more than 11 members appointed by the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a new council inside the commission with not more than 11 appointed seats, a new body with new appointees.

New fee, fund, board or appointees

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 the establishment of the Texas geothermal energy production policy council.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Study and recommend, nothing more. Up to five seats for the industry. Abolished in 2032.

The bill creates a Texas geothermal energy production policy council inside the commission to study geothermal energy and recommend policy. The council seats the commission chair, the director of the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin, and not more than 11 commission appointees, including at least three but not more than five from the geothermal energy industry, all unpaid. It must study the industry, analyze tax incentives and federal cooperation, draft a state oversight plan and send recommendations to the legislature, and it is abolished January 1, 2032; no rule or regulation changes until the legislature acts on its advice.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2671 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Juan "Chuy" HinojosaDSenate 20

ITEM

relating to the establishment of the Texas geothermal energy production policy council.

WHAT IT DOES

Study and recommend, nothing more. Up to five seats for the industry. Abolished in 2032.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 85%

THE TEXT

…“is established within the commission to study and make”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only operative duty is for the council to study and recommend; no regulation of geothermal production changes until a later legislature acts on the recommendations.

[x] NEW FEE, FUND, BOARD OR APPOINTEESanalysis confidence 80%

THE TEXT

“not more than 11 members appointed by the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a new council inside the commission with not more than 11 appointed seats, a new body with new appointees.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 13, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Business & Commerce

FILED UNDER

GOVERNMENT GROWTH UNDER A CONSERVATIVE BANNER

THE TEXT

…“is established within the commission to study and make”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a new policy council inside the commission with not more than 11 appointed members, a new government body even though its members are unpaid.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$18K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15K Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$15K

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 23, 2024 to Jun 30, 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$17,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$17,500.00

Cash: $17,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $17,500.00

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 · Sep 3, 2024 to Jun 27, 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: 100977616, 101009664.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Nov 25, 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: 100977616.

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$15,000.00

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 25, 2024 to Jun 15, 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: 100977616, 101059341.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$17,500.00

Cash: $17,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $17,500.00

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 · Sep 3, 2024 to Jun 27, 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: 100977616, 101009664.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Nov 25, 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: 100977616.

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 25, 2024 to Jun 15, 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: 100977616, 101059341.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.

Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

04/03/2025 S Referred to Business & Commerce

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 · Business & Commerce · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 3240 by Guerra (identical)

Subjects

Energy--Geothermal (IP9BV)

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions--Newly Proposed

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN BUREAU OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

RAILROAD COMMISSION

TEXAS GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PRODUCTION POLICY COUNCIL (VQ35A)

Text

The text as introduced · 341 words

89R4064 JAM-D

By: Hinojosa of Hidalgo
S.B. No. 2671

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of the Texas geothermal energy

production policy council.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 81, Natural Resources

Code, is amended by adding Section 81.076 to read as follows:

Sec. 81.076. TEXAS GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PRODUCTION POLICY

COUNCIL. (a) In this section, "council" means the Texas geothermal

energy production policy council.

(b) The Texas geothermal energy production policy council

is established within the commission to study and make

recommendations relating to the commission's policy framework for

geothermal energy development.

(c) The council is composed of:

(1) the chair of the commission or the chair's

designee;

(2) the director of the Bureau of Economic Geology of

The University of Texas at Austin or the director's designee; and

(3) not more than 11 members appointed by the

commission to represent as many different types of participants as

possible, including at least three but not more than five

representatives from the geothermal energy industry.

(d) The chair of the commission or the chair of the

commission's designee is the chair of the council.

(e) A member of the council is not entitled to compensation

or reimbursement of expenses for service on the council.

(f) The council shall:

(1) study the development of geothermal energy

industries in this state, including the development of facilities

for the production, pipeline transportation, and storage of

geothermal energy;

(2) analyze how tax incentives or cooperation with the

Geothermal Technologies Office of the United States Department of

Energy could encourage the development of geothermal energy

projects in this state; and

(3) develop a state plan for geothermal energy

production oversight by the commission.

(g) The council shall make recommendations to the

legislature relating to legislative changes needed for the

oversight and regulation of production, pipeline transportation,

and storage of geothermal energy.

(h) The council is abolished and this section expires

January 1, 2032.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.