The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
June 23, 2025
The 2025 Texas legislative session is closed. The following list contains 17 bills that I've been following and were sent to the Governor for his signature/veto. All but one (HB 2765) were signed by the Governor. HB 2765 became law without his signature. None were vetoed.
HB 14, by Harris, Coauthors: Alders, Cecil Bell, Bonnen, Buckley, Bumgarner, Cain, Cunningham, Dean, DeAyala, Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, Gerdes, Hefner, Hickland, Isaac, Kitzman, Lalani, Lambert, Leo Wilson, Janie Lopez, Ray Lopez, Lujan, McLaughlin, Metcalf, Eddie Morales, Noble, Orr, Plesa, Raymond, Richardson Spiller, Vasut, Villalobos, Wharton, Wilson, Companion bill SB 2060 (Identical), Relating to support for the development of the nuclear energy industry. Among other things, this bill leverages "the expertise and capacity of institutions of higher education, the nuclear energy industry, and regulatory stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to ensure the development of advanced nuclear energy and associated technologies in this state; and support the development of an advanced nuclear energy supply chain and associated technologies in this state." In addition, grants may be made that would, among other things, reimburse "fuel processing, manufacturing, and fabrication activities essential to the fuel cycle supply; and preparation of local, state, and non-nuclear commission federal permits." I'm not sure how much of this bill would apply to exploration or uranium production from mines or ISR facilities. 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB14.
HB 49, by Darby, Eddie Morales, Craddick, Dyson and Canales, Coauthors: Barry, Bumgarner, Cortez, Curry, Dean, Josey Garcia, Guerra, Isaac, Landgraf, Leo Wilson, McLaughlin, Plesa, Troxclair, Villalobos, and Wharton, Companion bills: HB 3156 (Duplicate) and SB 1399 (Identical), Relating to fluid oil and gas waste and products and byproducts of that waste. 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB49.
HB 1089, by Paul, Leo Wilson, Coauthors: Barry, ecil Bell, Buckley, Bumgarner, Cain, Cunningham, DeAyala, Frank, Gates, Guillen Hayes, Hull Janie Lopez, McLaughlin, Morgan, Oliverson, Orr, & Vasut, Companion bill SB795 (Identical), Relating to creation of the gulf coast protection account to be administered by the General Land Office. 5/24/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective immediately. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1089.
HB 1237, by Guillen, Relating to the renewal by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of certain expired occupational licenses and registrations. "A person whose license or registration has been expired for at least 90 days but not more than one year may apply for renewal of the license or registration by paying to the commission a renewal fee in an amount prescribed by commission rule not to exceed two times the normally required renewal fee." 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1237.
HB 1238, by Guillen, Companion bill SB 1060 (Identical). Relating to the inspection of the location of a proposed Class I injection well. 5/28/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective immediately. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1238.
HB 1633, by Gerdes, Companion bill SB 624 (Identical), Relating to the criteria considered by groundwater conservation districts before granting or denying a permit or permit amendment. 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective immediately. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1633.
HB 2765, by Guillen, Relating to the Rural Economic Development and Investment Program and the Texas economic development fund. Available funds may be used to attract new private enterprises to the county or municipality, including mineral extraction activities. 6/20/2025 Filed without the Governor's signature, effective 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2765.
SB 616, by Schwertner, Coauther: Eckhardt, Companion bill HB 1618 (Identical), Relating to aquifer storage and recovery projects that transect a portion of the Edwards Aquifer. "The commission (TCEQ) by rule or permit may authorize...an aquifer storage and recovery project that includes an ASR injection well, as defined under Section 27.151, that transects the Edwards Aquifer in the area of Williamson County east of Interstate Highway 35 for the injection of water into a geologic formation that underlies the Edwards Aquifer." 5/24/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective immediately. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB616.
SB 1061, by Parker, Companion bill HB 279 (Identical), Relating to procedural requirements for uranium mining production area authorizations. "Amend SB 1061 (senate committee printing) by striking the recital to SECTION 1 of the bill (page 1, lines 22 and 23) and substituting the following: SECTION 1. Section 27.0513, Water Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as follows: (c-1) The commission shall prioritize the conservation of regional groundwater water supplies when establishing the methods under Subsection (c) for determining the restoration table values for a portion of an aquifer that the United States Environmental Protection Agency prohibits from being used as an underground source of drinking water." 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1061.
SB 1145, by Birdwell and Sparks, Coauthors: Blanco & Eckhardt, Companion bill HB 2584 (Identical), Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to issue permits for the land application of water produced from certain mining and oil and gas extraction operations. 5/13/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025, For more information go to https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1145.
SB 1146, by Birdwell, Coauthor: Blanco, Companion bill HB 3911 (Identical), Relating to the plugging or replugging of certain inactive wells subject to the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas. 5/28/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1146.
SB 1147, by Birdwell, Companion bill HB 3506 (Identical), Relating to the withdrawal of the State of Texas from the Interstate Mining Compact. 5/13/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective immediately. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1147.
SB 1150, by Middleton, Coauthors: Blanco and West, Companion bill HG 2766 (Identical), Relating to the plugging of certain inactive wells subject to the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas. 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025, except Section 1 takes effect on 9/1/2027. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1150.
SB 1172, by Perry, Companion Bill HB 2349 (Identical), Relating to exempting certain transactions from regulation by the Texas Real Estate Commission. 5/24/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective immediately. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1172.
SB 1535, by Zaffirini and Parker, Relating to the establishment by the Texas Workforce Commission of an advanced nuclear energy workforce development program. Shouldn't uranium exploration and mining be included? What good is nuclear power without fuel? 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1535.
SB 1663, by Zaffirini, Companion bill HB 5207 (Identical), Relating to notification procedures concerning groundwater contamination. When the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) received notice that a water well is contaminated, the TCEQ has 30 days to notify each owner of a private drinking water well that may be affected by the contamination, each applicable groundwater conservation district, and the residents of each residential address within one mile of the site of the contamination. 6/20/2025 Signed by the Governor, effective on 9/1/2025. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1663.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
6/23/2025