Monitoring the Session

SB 616

bill lets storage wells pass through the Edwards Aquifer

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5

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 aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Fourth exception to the ban, for Williamson County east of Interstate 35.

The bill adds a fourth exception to the state rule that bars injection wells drilled through the Edwards Aquifer. The exception lets the state environmental agency approve aquifer storage and recovery wells that pass through the Edwards Aquifer in Williamson County east of Interstate 35, so water can be stored in a deeper rock layer below it. The agency must write rules by March 1, 2026, and the change takes effect immediately or on September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on May 24, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB616 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

WHAT IT DOES

Fourth exception to the ban, for Williamson County east of Interstate 35.

The bill adds a fourth exception to the state rule that bars injection wells drilled through the Edwards Aquifer. The exception lets the state environmental agency approve aquifer storage and recovery wells that pass through the Edwards Aquifer in Williamson County east of Interstate 35, so water can be stored in a deeper rock layer below it. The agency must write rules by March 1, 2026, and the change takes effect immediately or on September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 6, 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 w/o amendments
  10. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  11. Committee report printed and distributed
  12. Placed on intent calendar
  13. Co-author authorized
  14. Rules suspended-Constitutional 60-Day
  15. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  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. Considered in formal meeting
  28. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  29. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  30. Committee report distributed
  31. Committee report sent to Calendars
  32. Laid out in lieu of companion HB 1618
  33. Read 2nd time
  34. Amendment withdrawn 1-Virdell and Harris Davila
  35. Postponed 5/2/25 1:15 PM
  36. Laid out as postponed business
  37. Amended 2-Virdell and Harris Davila
  38. Passed to 3rd reading as amended
  39. Record vote RV#1364
  40. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  41. Read 3rd time
  42. Passed
  43. Record vote RV#1372
  44. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  45. House passage as amended reported
  46. House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
  47. Read
  48. Senate concurs in House amendment(s)
  49. Record vote
  50. Senate concurs in House amendment(s)-reported
  51. Reported enrolled
  52. Signed in the Senate
  53. Signed in the House
  54. Sent to the Governor
  55. Signed by the Governor
  56. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“that transects the Edwards Aquifer in the area of Williamson County east of Interstate Highway 35 for the injection of water into a geologic formation that underlies the Edwards Aquifer”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill opens a narrow path through the Edwards Aquifer injection ban so one area can store water underground for later use.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 133 yea · 3 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 5, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Mar 12, 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

Charles Schwertner

Donors

Donors report through Texans for Charles Schwertner.

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 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.

Money

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

Votes6

Senate May 12, 2025

Yea
30
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
1
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.

Sources

Senator Schwertner moved to concur in the House amendment to SB 616. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House May 5, 2025

Yea
133
Nay
3
Present, not voting
2
Absent
9
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1372

SB 616 was passed by (Record 1372): 133 Yeas, 3 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 133 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 9 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

House May 2, 2025

Yea
126
Nay
1
Present, not voting
3
Absent
4
Excused
16
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1364

SB 616, as amended, was passed to third reading by (Record 1364): 126 Yeas, 1 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 126 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 16 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Mar 12, 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 Schwertner moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 616 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 Mar 12, 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 Schwertner moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 616 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 Mar 12, 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.

Witnesses9
For
5
Against
0
On
4
Names

For

  • Brazos River Authority2 registrations
  • Lower Colorado River Authority1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter1 registration

On

  • Self2 registrations
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality1 registration
  • Tx Water Development Board1 registration
Sources

9 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 F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 6, 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 H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Dec 13, 2024

05/24/2025 E Effective immediately

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

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14
Sponsors
Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52

House committee · Natural Resources · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Companion

HB 1618 by Harris Davila (identical)

HB 5385 by Wilson (very similar)

Subjects

MEDINA COUNTY

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Environment--Water

Water--Development

Water--General

EDWARDS AQUIFER

INJECTION WELLS

PERMITS

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 282 words

89R3058 ANG-F

By: Schwertner
S.B. No. 616

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a

portion of the Edwards Aquifer.

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

SECTION 1. Section 27.051(i), Water Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(i) For purposes of this subsection, "Edwards Aquifer" has

the meaning assigned by Section 26.046(a). Except as otherwise

provided by this subsection, the commission may not authorize by

rule or permit an injection well that transects or terminates in the

Edwards Aquifer. The commission by rule or permit may authorize:

(1) injection of groundwater withdrawn from the

Edwards Aquifer;

(2) injections of storm water, flood water, or

groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves located in karst

topographic areas; [ or ]

(3) injections of water made in accordance with

Section 1.44(e)(3), Chapter 626, Acts of the 73rd Legislature,

Regular Session, 1993 ; or

(4) an aquifer storage and recovery project that

includes an ASR injection well, as defined under Section 27.151,

that transects the Edwards Aquifer in the area of Williamson County

east of Interstate Highway 35 for the injection of water into a

geologic formation that underlies the Edwards Aquifer .

SECTION 2. Not later than March 1, 2026, the Texas

Commission on Environmental Quality shall adopt rules to implement

Section 27.051(i), Water Code, as amended by this Act.

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.