SB 18 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session (2025)

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.

This bill proposes an exemption from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) permitting requirements for specific dams and reservoirs. It directly affects qualified local sponsors - such as soil conservation districts or flood control authorities with USDA agreements under the Watershed Protection Act - that operate dams for erosion, floodwater, and sediment control. The exemption allows these entities to construct, maintain, or divert water from dams/reservoirs with normal storage under 200 acre-feet without a TCEQ permit, including for repair and maintenance. The exemption remains in effect even if their USDA agreement ends, as long as the dam continues serving its original purpose.
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Aug 2025
Committee Review
Aug 2025
Senate Passage
Aug 2025
House Passage
Aug 2025
Vetoed
Sep 2025
Introduced Aug 15, 2025 Vetoed Sep 17, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Enrolled · 4 edits · Aug 28, 2025
MODERATE
The bill text was reformatted from an 'Engrossed' version to an 'Enrolled' version, which is the final version signed into law. The substantive policy content regarding dam permit exemptions remains unchanged, but the formatting was cleaned up to remove internal markup codes and add standard enrolled bill signatures and certification language.
Scope change
No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; this is a formatting conversion from draft to final enrolled version.
TECHNICAL

Removed internal legislative markup codes (e.g., 'AA', line numbers) and replaced them with clean, standard text formatting.

Added enrolled bill certification language including signatures for the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, Secretary of the Senate, Chief Clerk of the House, and Governor.

Added vote certification statements showing the bill passed the Senate 30-0 and the House 131-0 with one present not voting.

Removed the header note about digital content accessibility updates that was present in the engrossed version but not in the final enrolled text.

Floor votes · House Aug 25, 2025

How they voted

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

Actions timeline

Total actions
46
Key actions
12
Committee
9
Sep 17, 2025
Vetoed
Vetoed by the Governor
executive
Aug 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed in the House
lower
Aug 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed in the Senate
upper
Aug 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
House passage reported
upper
Aug 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
Aug 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
Aug 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
Aug 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
Aug 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Aug 20, 2025
Committee
Referred to Disaster Preparedness & Flooding
lower
Aug 20, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
Aug 20, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Aug 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Aug 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Aug 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendments
upper
Aug 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Aug 15, 2025
Committee
Referred to Finance
upper
Aug 15, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
17 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors