SB 128

bill making TxDOT add flood control to highway projects

Filed

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Sen. José MenéndezDSenate 26

Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade

Caption

relating to flood control measures for Texas Department of Transportation highway projects.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Stormwater outfalls become part of the job, starting September 1, 2027.

The bill rewrites the state flood control law for highway building so the Texas Department of Transportation must both coordinate with local flood control authorities and add stormwater outfalls and other flood control measures to its highway projects. It touches the Department of Transportation, local flood control authorities, and people living near new highway projects. On the ground, highway projects would have to include drainage and flood measures that account for nearby existing, proposed, and expected roads, starting September 1, 2027.

Labels

Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 89R HB 3544 by Rep. Martinez (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R and 89R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 89R and 90R. Checked against 88R and 89R only.QUICK READ: 134 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 134 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 90R bill as filed runs 407 words (derived, 1,039 graded bills, snapshot Nov 10, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

90R-SB128 · 2026-11-09

SOLD BY

Sen. José MenéndezDSenate 26

ITEM

relating to flood control measures for Texas Department of Transportation highway projects.

WHAT IT DOES

Stormwater outfalls become part of the job, starting September 1, 2027.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Nov 9, 2026Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Nov 9, 2026Filed

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

José Menéndez

Donors

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas$25K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10K

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 2, 2024 to Oct 5, 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.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas$25,000.00

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas

$25,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 22, 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: 101065471.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash: $20,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $20,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 5, 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: 101012370, 101032316, 101072614.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 2, 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: 101032316.

Money

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

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas

$25,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 22, 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: 101065471.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash: $20,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $20,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 5, 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: 101012370, 101032316, 101072614.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 2, 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: 101032316.

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 a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 89R and now. Checked against 88R and 89R only.

89R HB 3544

by Rep. Martinez, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 8, 2025: Left pending in committee

Relating to flood control measures for Texas Department of Transportation highway projects.

Caption, 89R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 9, 2026

11/09/2026 S Filed

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:40 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Companion

HB 485 by Martinez (identical)

Subjects

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Highways

FLOODS

TRANSPORTATION, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 134 words

90R2967 JRR-D

By: Menéndez
S.B. No. 128

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to flood control measures for Texas Department of

Transportation highway projects.

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

SECTION 1. Section 201.611, Transportation Code, is amended

to read as follows:

Sec. 201.611. [ COORDINATION OF ] FLOOD CONTROL. (a) In the

construction of its highway projects, the department shall :

(1) coordinate with local flood control authorities to

minimize the impact of flooding ; and

(2) add stormwater outfalls and other appropriate

flood control measures to the project .

(b) In adding flood control measures under Subsection

(a)(2), the department shall take into consideration existing,

proposed, and expected roadways in reasonable proximity to the

highway project.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.