SB 1359 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the creation, powers, duties, and financing of the Wise Regional Water District; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose fees; creating a criminal offense.

SB 1359 creates the Wise Regional Water District to manage water and wastewater services in Wise County, Texas, directly affecting residents and local governments within the district's boundaries. The bill grants the district limited power of eminent domain for infrastructure projects, authority to issue bonds for financing, and the ability to impose fees on users to cover operational costs. It establishes a governing board appointed by Wise County officials and participating municipalities, with specific rules for contract members (like cities that agree to pay administrative fees) and service area boundaries. The district is designed to serve public water needs under Texas Constitution Section 59, with expansion possible through contracts with neighboring municipalities.
Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
Feb 2025
Introduced Feb 18, 2025 Signed Feb 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 7 edits · May 14, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was reformatted from a draft version to an official engrossed version, with substantive changes to the district's governance structure, membership rules, and operational procedures. The most significant policy changes include expanding the initial board composition to include specific cities and utility districts, modifying voting thresholds for board actions, and adding detailed procedures for adding or removing district members.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include specific named entities (cities and utility districts) as initial board appointers and added comprehensive procedures for member admission and removal.
ELIGIBILITY

Changed the initial board appointment process to require the county commissioners court to appoint two directors instead of one, and specified which cities and utility districts appoint directors.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that initial board actions must receive at least 65 percent approval from initial directors.

Introduced new sections detailing procedures for adding participants or contract members through petition and hearing processes.

Added detailed procedures for removing participants or contract members, including conditions for approval and payment of outstanding obligations.

Changed the voting threshold for expanding the district to include municipalities outside the county to require execution of contracts by the second anniversary of the effective date.

Added a customer advisory council requirement composed of one representative from each customer receiving service from the district.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions of 'contract member' to include private entities and modified the definition of 'participant' to include private entities.

Floor votes · Senate May 14, 2025

How they voted

273
Passed
Total votes 30
May 14, 2025
D Democratic10
10 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican20
17 Yea 3 Nay
85% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
34
Key actions
10
Committee
8
Amendments
3
May 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
May 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Natural Resources
lower
May 16, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
May 15, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
upper
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
May 14, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
upper
Apr 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Apr 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Signed into law
Transmitted to the Governor
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Tan Parker
Tan Parker
RRepublican
TX
12