SB 2874

bill letting conservation easements fight artificial light

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 definition of conservation easement.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Protecting living things from excessive artificial light becomes an allowed purpose.

The bill adds one more allowed purpose to the Texas definition of a conservation easement: protecting living things from excessive artificial light. Landowners and the groups that hold conservation easements could now write easements aimed at limiting light pollution on a property. Starting September 1, 2025, a dark-sky restriction becomes a recognized conservation easement purpose under this chapter, alongside nature, water, farmland and historic uses.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 140 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 140 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).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the Senate Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2874 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Roland GutierrezDSenate 19

ITEM

relating to the definition of conservation easement.

WHAT IT DOES

Protecting living things from excessive artificial light becomes an allowed purpose.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 14, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 14, 2025Filed
Apr 7, 2025Read first time
Apr 7, 2025Referred to Economic Development

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Roland Gutierrez

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$65K Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas$40K Border Health PAC$25K

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 7, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$65,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,000.00

Cash: $65,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $65,000.00

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 · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 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: 101012330, 101033990, 101060131, 101069677.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas$40,000.00

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

Also funds 53 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 26, 2024 to Aug 13, 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: 101012330, 101033990.

Border Health PAC$25,000.00

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

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

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 Nov 26, 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: 101033990.

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,000.00

Cash: $65,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $65,000.00

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 · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 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: 101012330, 101033990, 101060131, 101069677.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

Also funds 53 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 26, 2024 to Aug 13, 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: 101012330, 101033990.

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

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

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 Nov 26, 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: 101033990.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

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 14, 2025

04/07/2025 S Referred to Economic Development

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 · Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 4722 by Troxclair (identical)

Subjects

Environment--General

Property Interests--Real Property

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

Text

The text as introduced · 140 words

By: Gutierrez
S.B. No. 2874

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the definition of conservation easement.

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

SECTION 1. Section 183.001 (1), Natural Resources Code to

read as follows:

Sec. 183.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Conservation easement" means a nonpossessory

interest of a holder in real property that imposes limitations or

affirmative obligations designed to:

(A) retain or protect natural, scenic, or

open-space values of real property or assure its availability for

agricultural, forest, recreational, or open-space use;

(B) protect natural resources;

(C) maintain or enhance air or water quality;

[ or ]

(D) preserve the historical, architectural,

archeological, or cultural aspects of real property[ . ] ; or

(E) protect living things from excessive

artificial light

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