SB 1413 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the procedure for amending or revoking certificates of public convenience and necessity issued to certain water utilities.

SB 1413 creates a new process for landowners with at least 25 acres not receiving water service to petition for removal from a water utility's service area in specific Texas counties. It applies to counties with populations of 1.2 million or more, adjacent to such counties, or meeting certain population and university enrollment thresholds. The bill requires petitioners to provide written notice to the utility before filing and prohibits the utility from borrowing federal funds during the review process. This establishes a streamlined procedure for landowners seeking to exit utility service agreements under defined geographic criteria.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2025 Last action May 27, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 23, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends the Texas Water Code to update procedures for landowners seeking expedited release from water utility certificates. The changes clarify eligibility criteria, add new subsections for specific county types, and establish new requirements for notice and federal loan handling.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include additional county population thresholds and specific conditions for adjacent counties, while also adding new procedural requirements for petitioners.

ELIGIBILITY

Added new eligibility criteria for counties adjacent to those with populations of at least 1.2 million, and clarified conditions for counties with populations between 200,000 and 233,500.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that petitioners must provide written notice to certificate holders at least 60 days before submitting a petition for certain land tracts.

Modified compensation procedures to require petitioners to submit verification reports confirming compensation payments to certificate holders.

FISCAL

Modified language regarding federal loan payments, clarifying that certificate holders must provide the amount necessary to pay or defease federal loans upon request.

ENFORCEMENT

Added requirements for the utility commission to issue orders requiring certificate holders to accept loan payments or defeasance when agreed upon by petitioners.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

May 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Natural Resources

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Introduced

Received from the Senate

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Apr 15, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

Apr 15, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Left pending in committee

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor