SB 18 — Relating to an exemption from the requirement to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain dams or reservoirs operated and maintained for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.
Last action — Vetoed by the Governor
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed Senate
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✓Passed House
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced August 15, 2025. It awaits signature.
Signed by Governor Greg Abbott (Republican) on August 28, 2025.
Next likely step: the executive signs it into law or issues a veto.
Odds of enactment
Low chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
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To Executive
Current position in the legislative process.
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17 sponsors
17 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
17 added · 2 removed17 line(s) added, 2 removed.
By:AAZaffirini,S.B.ANo.A18 etAN al.ACT relating to an exemption from the requirement to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain dams or reservoirs operated and maintained for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.
S.B.ANo.A18 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to an exemption from the requirement to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain dams or reservoirs operated and maintained for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.
S.B.ANo.A18 ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the SenateAAAAAAAAAAAAASpeaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B.ANo.A18 passed the Senate on AugustA18,A2025, by the following vote:AAYeasA30, NaysA0.
______________________________ AAAASecretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B.ANo.A18 passed the House on AugustA25,A2025, by the following vote:AAYeasA131, NaysA0, one present not voting.
______________________________ AAAAChief Clerk of the House Approved:
______________________________ AAAAAAAAAAAAADate ______________________________ AAAAAAAAAAAGovernor 4
Compared against the Texas statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.
This bill amends 2 section(s) of the Texas statutes: Section 11.121, Water Code, Section 11.1423, Water Code.
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Section 11.121, Water Code
11.1423,
amended
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Section 11.1423, Water Code
Sec. 11.1423. PERMIT EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN DAMS OR RESERVOIRS FOR EROSION, FLOODWATER, AND SEDIMENT CONTROL. (a) In this section, "qualified local sponsor" means a district or authority created under Section 52(b)(1) or (2), Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, that has entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service pursuant to the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. Section 1001 et seq.) to serve as a local sponsor to operate and maintain a dam or reservoir for purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control. (b) Without obtaining a permit, a qualified local sponsor may: (1) construct or maintain on property owned or controlled by the qualified local sponsor a dam or reservoir with normal storage of not more than 200 acre-feet of water for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control; and (2) divert water from the dam or reservoir as needed in order to repair, maintain, or rehabilitate the impoundment and associated works of improvement so as to maintain the operational integrity and purpose of the dam or reservoir. (c) The termination of an agreement between a qualified local sponsor and the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service does not affect the exemption described by Subsection (b), provided that the dam or reservoir continues to be owned or controlled by the qualified local sponsor for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.
added
Action History
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Vetoed by the Governor
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Sent to the Governor
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Signed in the House
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Signed in the Senate
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Reported enrolled
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House passage reported
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Reason for vote recorded in Journal
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Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
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Record vote
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Passed
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Read 3rd time
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Passed to 3rd reading
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Read 2nd time
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Additional sponsor(s) authorized
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Rules suspended
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Placed on General State Calendar
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Considered in Calendars
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Committee report sent to Calendars
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Committee report distributed
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Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
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Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
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Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
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Considered in public hearing
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Referred to Disaster Preparedness & Flooding
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Read first time
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Received from the Senate
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Reported engrossed
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Reason for vote recorded in Journal
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Record vote
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Passed
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Read 3rd time
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Record vote
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Three day rule suspended
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Vote recorded in Journal
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Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
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Rules suspended-Regular order of business
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Committee report printed and distributed
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Reported favorably w/o amendments
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Vote taken in committee
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Considered in public hearing
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Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
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Record vote
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Posting rule suspended
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Referred to Finance
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Read first time
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Filed
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Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Sponsors
- Leo Wilson · Primary
- Ben Bumgarner · Primary
- Stan Gerdes · Primary
- Charles Perry · Primary
- Angela Paxton · Primary
- José Menéndez · Primary
- Adam Hinojosa · Primary
- Sarah Eckhardt · Primary
- Donna Campbell · Primary
- César Blanco · Primary
- Brian Birdwell · Primary
- Paul Bettencourt · Primary
- Carol Alvarado · Primary
- Judith Zaffirini · Primary
- Pete Flores · Primary
- Juan Hinojosa · Primary
- Phil King · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →17 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 167 not signed on
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (167)
167 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 167 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 131 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Total | 131 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| % of votes cast | 87% | 0% | 0% | 13% |
How each member voted (151)
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors SB 18?
- SB 18 is sponsored by Leo Wilson, Ben Bumgarner, Stan Gerdes, Charles Perry, Angela Paxton, José Menéndez, Adam Hinojosa, Sarah Eckhardt, Donna Campbell, César Blanco, Brian Birdwell, Paul Bettencourt, Carol Alvarado, Judith Zaffirini, Pete Flores, Juan Hinojosa, and Phil King.
- What is the current status of SB 18?
- This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced August 15, 2025. It awaits signature.
- Where can I track SB 18?
- Track SB 18 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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Last checked for changes about 2 months ago · updated continuously
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