In a vote of 143 to 3, the Texas House approved Senate Bill 7, the partner bill to a constitutional amendment planned to pump in a billion dollars a year for the next decade into water projects.
Lawmakers are racing against the clock for the final details, with only a week left in the regular legislative session. Key deadlines kick in throughout this next week, killing most ideas in the legislative process.
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WATCH HEREMost lawmakers agree that SB 7 is needed to pay for a new water supply, either building new reservoirs or buying water from other states and piping it throughout Texas.
"This truly is a historic piece of legislation," said the House author, Rep. Cody Harris, on the floor Monday.
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Lawmakers aim to turn down the temperature of regional water fights like the one between Northeast Texas and the DFW metro over the possible Marvin Nichols Reservoir. The planned reservoir would flood 66,000 acres in East Texas to create a man-made lake and pipe water into the growing Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
That fight highlights the stakes of doing nothing in the Legislature.
“Population and economic growth is accelerating the thirst for water," said Rep. Harris.
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The final rules are not yet approved. The House approved dedicating half the money supply taken in by sales taxes to go to new supply projects and those that are part of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). The other half is set to be decided by the Texas Water Development Board.
The Texas Senate had a different proposal, with 80 percent of the money dedicated to finding new water supplies. The final details will have to be worked out with the Senate later this week.
Gov. Greg Abbott declared water supply an emergency item this legislative session and is expected to sign the bills into law. Since it changes the state constitution, voters will have to sign off in an election this November.
On the House floor Monday, other lawmakers questioned the details. There was a failed effort to upgrade water systems around San Antonio. Harris, the point person for the water bill, promised to work on that issue next session with San Antonio lawmakers.
Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, wanted to make sure the bill had money to restore leaky pipes and to build new fire hydrants in certain areas. Harris told her it "absolutely" did.
