Monitoring the Session

SB 2702

Creighton Backflow Bill Lets Testers Skip The State License

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsReviewed
Sen. Brandon CreightonRSenate 4
Why it's charged
The hole

THE TEXT

…“recognized accrediting organization qualifying the person to test”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The rule covers people who repair or test these devices, but the new private-certification path only requires a credential to test. As written, a test-only certificate could also satisfy the requirement for repair work.

The hole

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the licensing and regulation of persons who may repair or test backflow prevention assemblies.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The private credential only needs to qualify you “to test.” It covers repair work too.

The bill changes who may legally repair or test backflow prevention assemblies, the devices that keep dirty water from flowing back into drinking water lines. Today that work requires a license from the state environmental commission, and this bill adds a second path: a certification from a nationally recognized accrediting organization. Backflow testers and repairers could skip the state license if they hold that private certification, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 116 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 116 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).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 24, 2025. Died in the House: left pending in the Natural Resources committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2702 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Brandon CreightonRSenate 4

ITEM

relating to the licensing and regulation of persons who may repair or test backflow prevention assemblies.

WHAT IT DOES

The private credential only needs to qualify you “to test.” It covers repair work too.

The bill changes who may legally repair or test backflow prevention assemblies, the devices that keep dirty water from flowing back into drinking water lines. Today that work requires a license from the state environmental commission, and this bill adds a second path: a certification from a nationally recognized accrediting organization. Backflow testers and repairers could skip the state license if they hold that private certification, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

…“recognized accrediting organization qualifying the person to test”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The rule covers people who repair or test these devices, but the new private-certification path only requires a credential to test. As written, a test-only certificate could also satisfy the requirement for repair work.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 9, 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 Business & Commerce
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  12. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  13. Committee report printed and distributed
  14. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  15. Laid before the Senate
  16. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  17. Vote recorded in Journal
  18. Three day rule suspended
  19. Record vote
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the Senate
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to Natural Resources
  27. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  28. Considered in public hearing
  29. Committee substitute considered in committee
  30. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  31. Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 30 yea · 1 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Apr 24, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Brandon Creighton

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Brandon Creighton.

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

$0 raised since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. blank in the state's data, consistent with zero. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

Report 101060909: Published total from the filed report. Retrieved Oct 29, 2026. Filed report 101060909

$0 spent Jan 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2026. Published total from the filed report. Flow, Jan 1, 2026 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 1 of 1 filed reports carry a published figure.

Report 101060909: Published total from the filed report. Retrieved Oct 29, 2026. Filed report 101060909

$0 cash on hand. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

$0 loans outstanding. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived sum of itemized contributions in regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Unitemized contributions are not included. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Money

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

Votes3

Senate Apr 24, 2025

Final passage

Yea
30
Nay
1
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

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

SB 2702 (Creighton) Relating to the licensing and regulation of persons who may repair or test backflow prevention assemblies. (viva voce vote) (30-1) "Nay" Hall (30-1) "Nay" Hall

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 24, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea
30
Nay
1
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

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

SB 2702 (Creighton) Relating to the licensing and regulation of persons who may repair or test backflow prevention assemblies. (viva voce vote) (30-1) "Nay" Hall (30-1) "Nay" Hall

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 24, 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

SB 2702 (Creighton) Relating to the licensing and regulation of persons who may repair or test backflow prevention assemblies. (viva voce vote) (30-1) "Nay" Hall (30-1) "Nay" Hall

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.

Witnesses6
For
4
Against
0
On
2
Names

For

  • International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials1 registration
  • Self; Texas Building Trades1 registration
  • Soutwest Pipe Trades Association1 registration
  • Texas Association of Builders1 registration

On

  • TCEQ2 registrations
Sources

6 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 significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 9, 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

05/14/2025 H Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 3:19 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Natural Resources · Final status: Died in committee

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

HB 4293 by Paul (identical)

Subjects

Environment--Water

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION & SANITARIANS

Text

The text as introduced · 116 words

89R13331 CMO-D

By: Creighton
S.B. No. 2702

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the licensing and regulation of persons who may repair

or test backflow prevention assemblies.

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

SECTION 1. Section 341.034(c), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(c) A person who repairs or tests the installation or

operation of backflow prevention assemblies must :

(1) hold a license issued by the commission under

Chapter 37, Water Code ; or

(2) hold a certification issued by a nationally

recognized accrediting organization qualifying the person to test

backflow prevention assemblies .

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