The bill, H.B. No. 145, amends the Local Government Code and the Water Code to establish new requirements for plat applications related to groundwater supply for land subdivisions. Specifically, it mandates that any plat application for subdivisions relying on groundwater must include a statement prepared by a licensed engineer or geoscientist. This statement must certify that adequate groundwater is available and that it complies with rules set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Additionally, the bill introduces a provision that requires municipal authorities and commissioners courts to disapprove plat applications that do not meet these requirements.

Furthermore, the TCEQ is tasked with establishing rules regarding the form and content of the required certification and defining what constitutes credible evidence of groundwater availability. The bill also allows counties in priority groundwater management areas to adopt water availability requirements to ensure sustainable water use. The changes will apply only to plat applications filed on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for January 1, 2026. The TCEQ is required to adopt the necessary rules by September 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Local Government Code 212.0101, Local Government Code 232.0032, Water Code 35.019 (Local Government Code 232, Local Government Code 212, Water Code 35)