Texas Sen. Charles Perry has a lot to say about water. As the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs Chairman, he leads the upper chambers' efforts to prioritize water resources. He’s also the author of the much-anticipated Senate Bill 7 and the unnamed Senate Joint Resolution that will propose a constitutional amendment for $1 billion in dedicated funding each year for the Texas Water Fund. While the policy world waits for the official release of the SB 7 text and the accompanying SJR, Sen. Perry has laid out his case for the legislation in public forums and committee hearings. Last week, during a conversation with The Texas Tribune, Sen. Perry outlined the foundational components of what SB 7 and the “Texas-sized investment” in water seek to achieve. Predictability and Reliability The legislature proposes $2.5 billion in the budget (either the supplemental or 2026-27 biennial budget) and will propose $1 billion per fiscal year for the Texas Water Fund. During the conversation with the Tribune, Perry said the amount could be higher. More importantly, he outlined the foundation of what those funds are genuinely providing: predictability and reliability. The chairman noted that Texas’ business-friendly climate is based on those two principles, which can apply to everything from power and water to taxes and regulations. Predictability and reliability for water resources, including fixing aging infrastructure and building out production innovations, will be the key to continuing to grow the "Texas Miracle." How is it structured? The proposed investment in water is divided into three sections: the enabling legislation, the constitutional proposition, and the funding in the budget. Senate Bill 7 will outline the framework for how the state will prioritize and authorize funding for various projects through the Texas Water Fund. The accompanying Senate Joint Resolution, yet to be filed, will outline the language for the constitutional proposition that, if approved, will go before voters this November. If passed, it would authorize $1 billion per fiscal year in dedicated funding for the Texas Water Fund—similar to Proposition 7 in November 2023, which established the fund and allocated an initial $1 billion investment. This investment would be in addition to the more than $500 million proposed for the Water Development Board and Soil and Water Conservation Board for flood mitigation, wastewater projects and more.  

Speaker Dustin Burrows released committee assignments for House Members on Thursday, taking the next step in the legislative session. Committees will likely get organized quickly, especially those expected to tackle the governor’s seven emergency items.  With the reorganization of committees, Speaker Burrows had the opportunity to shake up leadership and provide a new policy pathway through newly created standing subcommittees. Of particular note is forming a subcommittee on the workforce under the Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. Angie Chen Button of Garland was named chair of the principal committee and Oscar Longoria of Mission was selected to lead the subcommittee on the Workforce. Dr. Greg Bonnen of Friendswood will continue to chair the House Committee on Appropriations. He is serving his third term as the House’s chief budget writer.  Central Texas Rep. Brad Buckley of Salado is returning in the chair for Public Education. The Subcommittee on Academic & Career-Oriented Education is likely to be the first stop for the governor’s emergency item to bring life-changing career education to public schools. Trent Ashby of Lufkin will chair the subcommittee. The most significant change among committees was the announcement of Rep. Cody Harris of Palestine as the new head of the Natural Resources Committee. Insiders forecasted this assignment after Gov. Greg Abbott named Rep. Harris as the House sponsor of the “Texas-sized investment” in water. Tracy King, the former chair of that committee and a leading voice for water in the Texas House, is now a senior policy advisor in Speaker Burrows’ office. This is a positive sign that the stakeholders who have worked so hard in recent years to deliver transformational investments in water will continue to have advocates working inside the building.  The governor has set a goal of funding $1 billion per year in dedicated revenue to the Texas Water Fund over the next 10 years. The speaker assigned members to 40 standing committees and subcommittees. The chair of each principal committee has the discretion to create additional subcommittees and appoint members to serve.  Below is a list of Committee Chairs representing districts within the Partnership’s 12-county footprint: Sam Harless, Committee on Corrections Will Metcalf, Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism Lacey Hull, Committee on Human Services Cecil Bell Jr., Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs Harold Dutton Jr., Subcommittee on Family and Fiduciary Relationships Gary Gates, Committee on Land & Resource Management Cody Vasut, Committee on Redistricting Click here to see the full list of committee assignments by committee.  Click here to review the list of committee assignments by member.