Sunday, June 22, is the final day for Governor Abbott to sign or veto bills passed during the 89^th Legislative Session. Without either action, the bill will become law and will either take effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature or on September 1, 2025, depending on whether or not the bill received the necessary two-thirds vote in both chambers to take immediate effect. 

As my fellow legislators and I await the Governor’s decision on the remainder of the bills we sent to his desk, I thought it would be an appropriate time to share a relevant statistic. During the most recent session, members of the House and Senate filed a total of 8,719 bills, a new record. Of this staggering sum, only 1,014 bills reached the Governor’s desk for approval, which underscores just how difficult it is to pass a bill through the entire legislative process. 

With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol…

Capitol Update

This past week, I had the opportunity to testify before the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD) in opposition to a permit application that would allow Redtown Ranch Holdings LLC and Pine Bliss LLC to pump more than 15 billion gallons of groundwater annually from the Carrizo-Wilcox and Queen City aquifers. This amount represents nearly 98% of the district’s sustainable production capacity, which is roughly equivalent to the annual water usage of more than two million Texans.

The implications of such a permit are deeply concerning. If approved, this project could jeopardize access to water for countless rural residents, businesses, farms, school districts, and hospitals across East Texas. Our local water supplies are not an unlimited resource, and our region should not be asked to carry the cost of growth elsewhere in the state.

What’s more, the application itself is incomplete. It lacks basic information such as draw-down modeling, mitigation plans for impacted well owners, and a clear explanation of how the water would be used or exported. Without this transparency, it is impossible to responsibly evaluate the long-term consequences of the project.

Put simply, water is the lifeblood of our region. As our most abundant natural resource, East Texans sincerely appreciate the critical importance of water to the success of our communities, agricultural producers, and businesses. As such, any effort that would threaten the sustainability of this precious natural resource will be met with strong opposition. 

Ultimately, the NTVGCD board voted to move the permit application to the State Office of Administrative Hearings where a formal hearing will be conducted here in East Texas sometime after 90 days. This proposed groundwater project will also be investigated further by the House Committee on Natural Resources in a public hearing at the Texas Capitol on July 15.  As a member of this committee, I look forward to working with the Committee Chairman and fellow East Texan, Rep. Cody Harris, to further scrutinize this project and advocate on behalf of our region. 

The mobile office will take a break from the road in July but will return in August. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can help you in any way. My district office may be reached at (936) 634-2762. Additionally, I welcome you to follow along on my Official Facebook Page, where I will post regular updates on what’s happening in your State Capitol and share information that could be useful to you and your family: https://www.facebook.com/RepTrentAshby/.