Capitol Weekly

September 5, 2025

“Sine Die! Sine Die! Sine Die!” ~ Estela McCord, 9-year-old daughter of Mia McCord, VP of Government Affairs

Special Session

The Texas Legislature has officially adjourned Sine Die… again! The Second Called Special Session of the Texas Legislature came to a close after midnight on September 3^rd.

On Tuesday, the House passed HB 18 by Rep. Shaheen (R-Plano) which prohibits members of the Legislature from soliciting or accepting political contributions while absent from the state during a quorum break. The measure, a direct response to the democrat quorum break that left the House without a working majority during the first special session, authorizes civil penalties for violations. The bill drew sharp partisan debate but ultimately passed on a party-line vote. The Senate passed the measure yesterday evening, and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.

Meanwhile, negotiations over SB 10 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) came to an abrupt halt. The bill sought to lower the threshold at which local governments must seek voter approval to raise property taxes. While the House amended the measure to further tighten the cap to 1% for all cities and counties, the conference committee stripped out those changes and reverted the bill back to the original Senate version, which set the cap at 2.5%. Frustrated by the removal of their amendments, House members voted to reject the conference committee report. Without an agreement between the chambers, SB 10 ultimately did not pass.

On Wednesday, speculation swirled throughout the Capitol regarding a potential agreement on THC regulation. Despite ongoing negotiations, no resolution was reached. Late that night, the Lieutenant Governor issued a statement via X, noting that after extensive discussions with the Governor and Speaker, the parties were unable to find common ground. He expressed appreciation for Governor Abbott’s efforts and commended Speaker Dustin Burrows and Republican House members for supporting a complete THC ban during the regular session. The Lieutenant Governor reaffirmed his position: he and the Senate remain committed to a total ban on THC.

Here is a final rundown of the final outcome of the Governor’s agenda items for the 2^nd  Special Session.

√ Legislation to ensure and enhance youth camp safety. – SB 1 by Sen. Perry (R-Lubbock)

√ Legislation to improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas. – SB 3 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)

× Legislation to strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas. – HB 3 by Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian)

√ Legislation to provide relief funding for response to and recovery from the storms which began in early July 2025, including local match funding for jurisdictions eligible for FEMA public assistance. – HB 5 by Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Galveston)

× Legislation to evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters. – SB 2 by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)

√ Legislation to eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability. – HB 8 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado)

× Legislation reducing the property tax burden on Texans and legislation imposing spending limits on entities authorized to impose property taxes. – SB 10 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt

× Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 years of age. – HB 36 by Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth)

× Legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning lawful hemp-derived products. – SB 6 by Sen. Charles Perry

√ Legislation further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion. – HB 7 by Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano)

× Legislation prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying, including the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payment of tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature. – SB 13 by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston)

√ Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1278 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that protects victims of human trafficking from criminal liability for non-violent acts closely tied to their own victimization. – SB 11 by Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound)

× Legislation that protects law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files. SB 15 by Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford) & HB 15 by Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant)

√ Legislation protecting women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces. – SB 8 by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston)

√ Legislation that strengthens the Attorney General’s authority to investigate and prosecute state election crimes. – SB 12 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)

√ Legislation that provides a congressional redistricting plan. – HB 4 by Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi)

√ Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 648 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that provides strengthened protections against title theft and deed fraud. – SB 16 by Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas)

√ Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1253 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that authorizes political subdivisions to reduce impact fees for builders who include water conservation and efficiency measures. – SB 14 by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)

√ Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 2878 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to the operation and administration of the Judicial Department of state government. – HB 16 by Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano)

√ Legislation to impose penalties or punishments for legislators who willfully absent themselves during a session. – HB 18 by Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano)

√ Legislation to authorize a person to purchase Ivermectin at a pharmacy. – HB 25 by Rep. Joanne Shofner (R-Nacogdoches)

× Legislation relating to a groundwater study of East Texas aquifers by the Texas Water Development Board prior to the issuance of permits or permit amendments by certain groundwater conservation districts. – HB 27 by Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine)

√ Legislation to prohibit same day voter registration in Texas. – SB 54 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)

√ Legislation authorizing contracts with sheriffs and constables for the provision of law enforcement services and legislation relating to the appropriation or transfer of funds to or from a law enforcement agency. – HB 26 by Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress)

CORPUS CHRISTI DESAL     

On September 2, 2025, after more than 4 hours of public testimony and a lengthy debate, the Corpus Christi City Council voted to terminate its contract with Kiewit and halt the proposed Inner Harbor Sea Water Desalination project. The decisive move came when the Council rejected Amendment 34, which would have authorized Kiewit to continue its design to 60 percent completion before providing a guaranteed maximum price for project.  The Council’s action is a major disappointment for our industry, who has worked so hard in support of the project, helping to secure a permit and state financing to make the project a reality.

During the marathon meeting, nearly 100 residents spoke, many raising concerns about the plant’s ecological risks, particularly brine discharge into Corpus Christi Bay, as well as anti-industry rhetoric. Council members expressed frustration with the project’s soaring costs and shifting timelines. Ultimately, those factors, combined with continued community opposition, led the Council to abandon the desalination project.

As a result, the City faces a looming water crisis. Officials warn that Corpus Christi could face emergency drought curtailments as early as December 2026 without the new water to supplement current supply. To mitigate that risk, the Council directed staff to ask the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) if it could redirect $210 million in state funding initially allocated for the Inner Harbor project toward alternative water projects such as pumping water from the Evangeline Aquifer in San Patrico County, drilling new wells near the Nueces River, and reclaimed water. The Council took this action despite receiving clear communication from the TWDB that the approximately $750 million of state SWIFT financing could only be used for the Inner Harbor project and cannot be redirected to any other projects. 

TCC will continue to work with members, city, county and state leaders to identify other viable project needed to prevent drought curtailment in 2026 and secure a long-term sustainable water supply for the region. Curtailment would be devastating to industry in the region and will cost member companies millions in lost production, significantly impact gasoline and aviation fuel production, and would threaten industry related jobs and new industry investments.

____________________________________________________________________________________

If you have any questions about this report or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact Mia McCord at mccord@texaschemistry.org or Kolton McDougald at mcdougald@texaschemistry.org.