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Capitol Pipeline will be in your inbox every Tuesday with links to the bills being tracked by TRWA, updates on the progress of key pieces of legislation, and calls to action on legislation that directly impacts rural water systems across Texas. Click here to learn more!
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Stay in the know: follow us online!
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The 86th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature ends in less than three weeks, and things are starting to move quickly at the capitol! Until now, we have mostly utilized targeted calls to action to our members in key legislative districts, but now we need help from all TRWA members on both of our key legislative issues to ensure the best possible outcomes for rural water!
Both bills discussed below are currently pending before the House Natural Resources Committee, and we need you and your customers to call Chairman Lyle Larson and as many other members of the committee as you are able to call to help us finish the session strong. You can find contact information for each member of the committee on the contact guides below, along with talking points for each bill.
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Groundwater Permitting: Despite strong opposition from TRWA, the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, and 11 members of the Texas Senate, S.B. 2026, a bad groundwater permitting bill supported by Texas Farm Bureau, has passed out of the full Senate. This bill would repeal the provision in current law that allows groundwater districts to issue permits based on a utility’s service area, which would increase costs and raise water rates. While phone calls are the most effective way to have an impact on lawmakers, we have also developed this quick form that you can fill out to voice opposition to this bill. Please call Chairman Larson and other members of the committee to and ask them to OPPOSE S.B. 2026!
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CCN Decertification & Compensation: Some good news on this front, a compromise bill worked out by TRWA and developers has also cleared the Senate and moved on to the House. While you are on the phone with the offices of House Natural Resources Committee members, please also ask them to vote FOR S.B. 2272 so that systems can be fairly compensated when they get decertified! You can also send a quick email of support for this bill using this quick form, but again, phone calls are the best way to have a positive impact.
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Also, you can help us magnify the impact of rural water by sharing this call to action and the contact guides above with your customers by email and on your website.
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Other News From the Capitol:
- H.B. 3, the House’s comprehensive school finance bill, will take up most of the Senate's time today, as they are expected to debate more than 100 proposed amendments to the House's version of the bill.
- Yesterday was the last day for House bills to be reported out of House committees, but that doesn’t mean bills that failed to clear committee are completely dead – they can still come back in the last three weeks of session as legislators attempt to add them as amendments to other bills.
Important Dates for the Remainder of Session:
- Friday, May 10 – Last day for the House to hear all House bills and joint resolutions.
- Saturday, May 18 – Last day for House committees to report Senate bills and joint resolutions.
- Wednesday, May 22
- Last day for the House to hear all Senate bills.
- Last day for the Senate to hear all House and Senate bills and joint resolutions.
- Monday, May 27 – Last day of the 86th Regular Session
- Sunday, June 16 – Last day the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular session.
- Monday, August 26 – Date that bills without specific effective dates, other than bills with immediate effect, become law.
- Sunday, September 1 – Date most bills will become effective if passed by the Legislature and not vetoed by the Governor.
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Engage Your Board and Customers in our Legislative Efforts
TRWA members provide quality water service to almost 3 million Texans, and lawmakers need to hear from them on our legislative priorities and bills of concern. You can help us mobilize your customer base in support of rural water in the following ways:
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- Forward each week’s Capitol Pipeline to your system’s email list and provide your customers with a link to the newsletter on the front page of your website.
- Link to https://waterforalltexans.com on your system’s website to help educate your customers on our issues and encourage them to contact their legislators.
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