Monitoring the Session

SB 410

governor picks the Gulf Coast Protection District presiding officer

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the management and operation of the Gulf Coast Protection District.

Caption from analyzed text · version S.

Summary

The board stops electing its own presiding officer.

The bill makes two changes to the Gulf Coast Protection District. First, the governor picks the board's presiding officer instead of the board electing one. Second, district projects may not disrupt ship navigation safety or two-way ship traffic in a way that breaks a rule set by the Harris County port pilot commissioners.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB410 · 2024-11-21

SOLD BY

Sen. Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11

ITEM

relating to the management and operation of the Gulf Coast Protection District.

WHAT IT DOES

The board stops electing its own presiding officer.

The bill makes two changes to the Gulf Coast Protection District. First, the governor picks the board's presiding officer instead of the board electing one. Second, district projects may not disrupt ship navigation safety or two-way ship traffic in a way that breaks a rule set by the Harris County port pilot commissioners.

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 23, 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 Natural Resources
  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 as substituted
  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
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 9, 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

Mayes Middleton

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1.14MRussell Gordy$300,000Kenneth Fisher$215,000

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 6, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1,140,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,140,000.00

Cash
$1,140,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,140,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 21, 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: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.

Russell Gordy$300,000.00
Kenneth Fisher$215,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,140,000.00

Cash
$1,140,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,140,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 21, 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: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.

Votes3

Senate May 9, 2025

Final passage

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.

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 410 (Middleton) Relating to the management and operation of the Gulf Coast Protection District. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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 9, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

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.

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 410 (Middleton) Relating to the management and operation of the Gulf Coast Protection District. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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 9, 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 410 (Middleton) Relating to the management and operation of the Gulf Coast Protection District. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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.

Witnesses7
For
3
Against
1
On
3
Names

For

  • Chispa Texas1 registration
  • Enterprise Products Partners and Greater Houston Port Bureau1 registration
  • Houston Pilots1 registration

Against

  • Texas Impact1 registration

On

  • Texas Chemistry Council1 registration
  • Texas General Land Office2 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.

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 23, 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 S by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 21, 2024

05/12/2025 H Referred to Natural Resources: May 12 2025 10:52PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

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

Senate committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Companion

HB 2970 by Paul (similar)

Subjects

GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT (DO6XQ)

Coastal Affairs & Beaches

Governor

Special Districts & Authorities--Miscellaneous

Taxation--General

Water--Navigation & Ports

Text

The text as introduced · 337 words

By: Middleton
S.B. No. 410

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the management and operation of the Gulf Coast

Protection District.

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

SECTION 1. Section 9502.0201(i), Special District Local

Laws Code, is amended to read as follows:

(i) The governor [ board ] shall appoint [ elect ] a presiding

officer from among the directors to serve in that position for two

years. A director may serve as the presiding officer for not more

than two consecutive terms.

SECTION 2. Section 9502.0301, Special District Local Laws

Code, is amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(f) Implementation of a project described by Subsection (a)

shall not compromise navigation safety or two-way traffic vessel

movement as required by Subchapter B, Chapter 66, Transportation

Code.

SECTION 3. Section 9502.0302, Special District Local Laws

Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 9502.0302. TAXES AND BONDS. (a) Subject to Subsection

(d), the [ The ] district must hold an election in the manner provided

by Chapter 49, Water Code, to obtain voter approval before the

district may impose an ad valorem tax or issue bonds payable from ad

valorem taxes.

(b) The board may impose the tax at a rate not to exceed 5

cents on each $100 valuation.

(c) The district, without an election, may issue bonds,

notes, or other obligations secured by revenue other than ad

valorem taxes.

(d) The threshold for voter approval of an ad valorem tax

imposed by the district under this section is 67 percent [ The

district may grant an abatement for a tax owed to the district in

the manner provided by Chapter 312, Tax Code ].

SECTION 4. 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.