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HB 2078TEXASSession 89RState BillSigned into law
Enacted

Texas revises joint planning requirements for groundwater management and desired future conditions

Original title: Relating to the joint planning of desired future conditions in groundwater management areas.

Last action · June 20, 2025: Effective on 9/1/25Sponsors: Stan Gerdes and 2 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Texas groundwater conservation districts must now include plain-language explanations of how they track and achieve in their management plans, effective September 1, 2025.

Why it matters

Changes transparency and planning duties for groundwater districts, requiring them to report district performance and explain changes to aquifer conditions in plain language.

Background
  • Groundwater conservation districts in Texas are local special districts tasked with managing and protecting underground water resources. context
  • Desired future conditions are established through joint planning among districts within the same groundwater management area to guide long-term water availability planning. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

groundwater conservation districts

Groundwater conservation districts must update their management plans to include plain-language performance explanations and adhere to revised joint planning and reporting procedures.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must groundwater conservation districts add to their management plans under this law?
Districts must include a plain-language explanation of how the district is monitoring and tracking the achievement of and how it has performed in achieving them over the preceding five years.
How often must district representatives meet for joint planning?
District representatives must meet at least annually to conduct joint planning with other districts in the management area.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

52 actions
  1. Jun 20, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolled
    Effective on 9/1/25
  2. Jun 20, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolled
    Signed by the Governor
  3. May 30, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolled
    Sent to the Governor
  4. May 28, 2025Senate
    Signed in the Senate
  5. May 28, 2025House
    Signed in the House
  6. May 28, 2025House
    Reported enrolled
Show 46 earlier actions
  1. May 28, 2025House
    Senate passage reported
  2. May 28, 2025Senate
    Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  3. May 27, 2025SenateFloor
    Record vote
  4. May 27, 2025SenateFloor
    Passed
  5. May 27, 2025SenateFloor
    Read 3rd time
  6. May 27, 2025SenateFloor
    Record vote
  7. May 27, 2025Senate
    Three day rule suspended
  8. May 27, 2025Senate
    Vote recorded in Journal
  9. May 27, 2025SenateFloor
    Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  10. May 27, 2025Senate
    Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  11. May 27, 2025Senate
    Placed on intent calendar
  12. May 23, 2025Senate
    Committee report printed and distributed
  13. May 23, 2025Senate
    Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  14. May 23, 2025SenateCommittee
    Reported favorably w/o amendments
  15. May 23, 2025Senate
    Vote taken in committee
  16. May 23, 2025Senate
    Testimony taken in committee
  17. May 23, 2025Senate
    Considered in public hearing
  18. May 23, 2025Senate
    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  19. May 22, 2025Senate
    Posting rule suspended
  20. May 22, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
  21. May 22, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Read first time
  22. May 19, 2025Senate
    Received from the House
  23. May 16, 2025House
    Reported engrossed
  24. May 16, 2025House
    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  25. May 16, 2025HouseFloor
    Record vote (RV#2863)
  26. May 16, 2025HouseFloor
    Passed
  27. May 16, 2025HouseFloor
    Read 3rd time
  28. May 15, 2025House
    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  29. May 15, 2025HouseFloor
    Record vote (RV#2753)
  30. May 15, 2025HouseFloor
    Passed to engrossment as amended
  31. May 15, 2025House
    Amended (1-Gerdes)
  32. May 15, 2025HouseFloor
    Read 2nd time
  33. May 12, 2025House
    Placed on General State Calendar
  34. May 10, 2025House
    Considered in Calendars
  35. May 8, 2025House
    Committee report sent to Calendars
  36. May 7, 2025House
    Committee report distributed
  37. May 7, 2025House
    Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  38. May 2, 2025HouseCommittee
    Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  39. May 2, 2025House
    Considered in formal meeting
  40. Apr 30, 2025House
    Left pending in committee
  41. Apr 30, 2025House
    Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  42. Apr 30, 2025House
    Considered in public hearing
  43. Apr 30, 2025House
    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  44. Mar 14, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Natural Resources
  45. Mar 14, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Read first time
  46. Jan 24, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Voting Record

Outcome not reportedHouse5/16/2025Texas LegislatureOfficial roll call ↗

HB 2078 was passed

Total

128

Yes
95
No
17
Present
0
Not voting
2
Abstain
0
Other positions
14

How they voted (128)

Valoree SwansonParty not recordedexcused
Pat CurryParty not recordedyes
Tony TinderholtParty not recordedno
Stan KitzmanParty not recordedyes
David LoweParty not recordedno
Aicha DavisParty not recordedyes
Briscoe CainParty not recordedno
John BryantParty not recordedyes
Charles CunninghamParty not recordedyes
Jay DeanParty not recordedexcused
Janis HoltParty not recordedyes
Shelby SlawsonParty not recordedno
Ramon RomeroParty not recordedyes
John LujanParty not recordedyes
Morgan MeyerParty not recordedyes
Ellen TroxclairParty not recordedno
Nicole CollierParty not recordedyes
Janie LopezParty not recordedyes
Mihaela PleșaParty not recordedexcused
Armando WalleParty not recordedyes
Senfronia ThompsonParty not recordedyes
Andy HopperParty not recordedno
Leo WilsonParty not recordedno
Cole HefnerParty not recordedyes
104 more members
Rhetta BowersParty not recordedyes
Dennis PaulParty not recordedyes
Carl TepperParty not recordedyes
Marc LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Keresa RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Bobby GuerraParty not recordedyes
Terry WilsonParty not recordedno
Lauren SimmonsParty not recordedyes
Ward JohnsonParty not recordedyes
Gina HinojosaParty not recordednot voting
Stan GerdesParty not recordedyes
Claudia OrdazParty not recordedyes
Linda GarciaParty not recordedyes
Trey WhartonParty not recordedyes
Martinez FischerParty not recordedyes
Yvonne DavisParty not recordedyes
Brad BuckleyParty not recordedyes
Stan LambertParty not recordedyes
Christian ManuelParty not recordedyes
Gene WuParty not recordedyes
Brent MoneyParty not recordedyes
Mike OlcottParty not recordedno
Josey GarciaParty not recordedyes
Christina MoralesParty not recordedyes
Trent AshbyParty not recordedyes
Jon RosenthalParty not recordedyes
J.M. LozanoParty not recordedyes
Wes VirdellParty not recordedyes
Toni RoseParty not recordedyes
Matt ShaheenParty not recordedno
Angelia OrrParty not recordedyes
Paul DysonParty not recordedyes
Tom CraddickParty not recordedyes
Alma AllenParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann PerezParty not recordedyes
Keith BellParty not recordedyes
Mike SchofieldParty not recordedexcused
Angie ButtonParty not recordedyes
Gary GatesParty not recordedyes
Denise VillalobosParty not recordedyes
Harold DuttonParty not recordedexcused
Hillary HicklandParty not recordedyes
Terry MezaParty not recordedyes
James TalaricoParty not recordedexcused
John BucyParty not recordedyes
Cody HarrisParty not recordedyes
Cecil BellParty not recordedno
Ray LopezParty not recordedyes
Richard RaymondParty not recordedyes
Oscar LongoriaParty not recordedexcused
Philip CortezParty not recordedyes
Suleman LalaniParty not recordedexcused
Rodríguez RamosParty not recordedyes
Sam HarlessParty not recordedyes
Jessica GonzálezParty not recordedyes
David CookParty not recordedyes
Sheryl ColeParty not recordedyes
Venton JonesParty not recordedyes
Mano DeAyalaParty not recordedyes
Cody VasutParty not recordednot voting
Brian HarrisonParty not recordedyes
Morales ShawParty not recordedyes
Todd HunterParty not recordedyes
Candy NobleParty not recordedyes
Richard HayesParty not recordedyes
A.J. LouderbackParty not recordedyes
Salman BhojaniParty not recordedyes
Donna HowardParty not recordedyes
Brooks LandgrafParty not recordedexcused
Barbara Gervin-HawkinsParty not recordedexcused
Steve TothParty not recordedno
Jeff BarryParty not recordedyes
Tom OliversonParty not recordedno
Daniel AldersParty not recordedyes
Alan SchoolcraftParty not recordedyes
Erin GámezParty not recordedexcused
Eddie MoralesParty not recordedyes
Hubert VoParty not recordedyes
Carrie IsaacParty not recordedyes
Joanne ShofnerParty not recordedno
Lulu FloresParty not recordedyes
Joe MoodyParty not recordedyes
Harris DavilaParty not recordedno
Diego BernalParty not recordedyes
Sergio MuñozParty not recordedyes
Helen KerwinParty not recordedexcused
Ben BumgarnerParty not recordedyes
Ron ReynoldsParty not recordedyes
Jo JonesParty not recordedyes
Katrina PiersonParty not recordedyes
Mando MartinezParty not recordedyes
Rafael AnchíaParty not recordedexcused
Mary GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Matt MorganParty not recordedno
Jared PattersonParty not recordedno
Vikki GoodwinParty not recordedyes
Giovanni CapriglioneParty not recordedexcused
Erin ZwienerParty not recordedyes
Shelley LutherParty not recordedyes
Cas Garcia HernandezParty not recordedyes
James FrankParty not recordedyes
Liz CamposParty not recordedyes
Vince PerezParty not recordedyes
Mark DorazioParty not recordedyes
Show 1 earlier roll call
Outcome not reportedHouse5/15/2025Texas LegislatureOfficial roll call ↗

HB 2078 , as amended, was passed to engrossment

Total

144

Yes
117
No
14
Present
0
Not voting
8
Abstain
0
Other positions
5

How they voted (144)

Senfronia ThompsonParty not recordedyes
A.J. LouderbackParty not recordedyes
Lacey HullParty not recordedno
David CookParty not recordedyes
J.M. LozanoParty not recordedyes
Ron ReynoldsParty not recordedyes
Janis HoltParty not recordedno
Alan SchoolcraftParty not recordedyes
Dennis PaulParty not recordedexcused
Diego BernalParty not recordedyes
Chris TurnerParty not recordedyes
Helen KerwinParty not recordedyes
Cody HarrisParty not recordednot voting
Ben BumgarnerParty not recordedyes
Lulu FloresParty not recordedyes
Joanne ShofnerParty not recordedyes
Yvonne DavisParty not recordedyes
Shelley LutherParty not recordedyes
Jo JonesParty not recordedyes
Claudia OrdazParty not recordedyes
Tom OliversonParty not recordedno
Wes VirdellParty not recordedyes
Armando WalleParty not recordedabsent
Brent MoneyParty not recordedyes
120 more members
Angelia OrrParty not recordedyes
Venton JonesParty not recordedyes
Vince PerezParty not recordedyes
Sergio MuñozParty not recordedyes
Erin GámezParty not recordedyes
Don McLaughlinParty not recordedyes
Ward JohnsonParty not recordedyes
Cole HefnerParty not recordedyes
Candy NobleParty not recordedyes
Vikki GoodwinParty not recordedyes
Brian HarrisonParty not recordedyes
Oscar LongoriaParty not recordedyes
Aicha DavisParty not recordedyes
Brooks LandgrafParty not recordedyes
Shelby SlawsonParty not recordedno
Drew DarbyParty not recordedabsent
Denise VillalobosParty not recordedyes
Stan GerdesParty not recordedyes
Tony TinderholtParty not recordedyes
John SmitheeParty not recordedyes
Mano DeAyalaParty not recordedyes
Steve TothParty not recordedyes
Nicole CollierParty not recordedyes
Dade PhelanParty not recordedyes
Ellen TroxclairParty not recordedno
Valoree SwansonParty not recordedyes
Philip CortezParty not recordedyes
Cecil BellParty not recordedno
Angie ButtonParty not recordedyes
Katrina PiersonParty not recordedyes
Ken KingParty not recordedyes
Mark DorazioParty not recordedyes
Jay DeanParty not recordedyes
Terry MezaParty not recordedyes
Tom CraddickParty not recordedyes
John McQueeneyParty not recordedabsent
Rodríguez RamosParty not recordedyes
Richard RaymondParty not recordedyes
Mary GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Todd HunterParty not recordedyes
Morales ShawParty not recordedyes
Erin ZwienerParty not recordedyes
Keresa RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Sheryl ColeParty not recordedyes
Terry WilsonParty not recordedyes
Mando MartinezParty not recordedyes
Salman BhojaniParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann PerezParty not recordedyes
Liz CamposParty not recordedyes
Harold DuttonParty not recordedexcused
Christina MoralesParty not recordedyes
Cody VasutParty not recordedno
Morgan MeyerParty not recordedyes
Cas Garcia HernandezParty not recordedyes
Barbara Gervin-HawkinsParty not recordedexcused
Donna HowardParty not recordedyes
Mihaela PleșaParty not recordedyes
Mitch LittleParty not recordedyes
Eddie MoralesParty not recordedyes
David LoweParty not recordedno
Carrie IsaacParty not recordedyes
Stan KitzmanParty not recordedyes
Daniel AldersParty not recordedyes
Giovanni CapriglioneParty not recordedyes
Terry CanalesParty not recordedyes
Jessica GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Ray LopezParty not recordedyes
Matt MorganParty not recordedyes
Jeff LeachParty not recordedyes
Trey WhartonParty not recordedyes
Harris DavilaParty not recordedyes
Gina HinojosaParty not recordedyes
Jeff BarryParty not recordedyes
Mike OlcottParty not recordedno
Matt ShaheenParty not recordedno
Gary GatesParty not recordedyes
Trent AshbyParty not recordedyes
Will MetcalfParty not recordedno
Suleman LalaniParty not recordedyes
Jon RosenthalParty not recordedyes
Keith BellParty not recordedyes
Andy HopperParty not recordedyes
Christian ManuelParty not recordedyes
Ramon RomeroParty not recordedyes
Rafael AnchíaParty not recordedexcused
Carl TepperParty not recordedyes
Linda GarciaParty not recordedabsent
Pat CurryParty not recordedyes
Paul DysonParty not recordedyes
Brad BuckleyParty not recordedyes
Toni RoseParty not recordedyes
Lauren SimmonsParty not recordedyes
Greg BonnenParty not recordedyes
Alma AllenParty not recordedyes
Briscoe CainParty not recordedno
Marc LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Gene WuParty not recordedyes
John BucyParty not recordedyes
Sam HarlessParty not recordedyes
Richard HayesParty not recordedyes
Leo WilsonParty not recordedno
David SpillerParty not recordedyes
Martinez FischerParty not recordedyes
Mike SchofieldParty not recordedexcused
James TalaricoParty not recordedyes
Hillary HicklandParty not recordedyes
Hubert VoParty not recordedabsent
Stan LambertParty not recordedabsent
Joe MoodyParty not recordedyes
Charles CunninghamParty not recordedyes
John LujanParty not recordedyes
James FrankParty not recordedyes
Bobby GuerraParty not recordedyes
John BryantParty not recordedyes
Charlie GerenParty not recordedabsent
Janie LopezParty not recordedyes
Josey GarciaParty not recordedyes
Jared PattersonParty not recordedno
Rhetta BowersParty not recordedyes
Ryan GuillenParty not recordedyes
Full roll-call analysis →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Stan GerdesHouse · District 17RepublicanAuthor
Carrie IsaacHouse · District 73RepublicanAuthor
Charles PerrySenate · District 28RepublicanSponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Plain-Language Reporting Mandate

The legislation shifts groundwater district reporting standards by explicitly requiring plain-language explanations of performance tracking regarding desired future conditions.

Water Code

Connected Entities

Water Code
OrganizationWater Code“Statute being amended by the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

capitol.texas.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance60
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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