Committee Summary
Committee Members (9)
- Chairman: State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)
- Vice-Chairman: State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
- Members:
- State Sen. César Blanco (D-El Paso)
- State Sen. Pete Flores (R-Pleasanton)
- State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio)
- State Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas)
- State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
- State Sen. Kevin Sparks (R-Midland)
- State Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster)
Committee Partisan Split
6R – 3D
Committee Efficiency
| Legislation Referred to Committee | Legislation Voted Out of Committee | Overall Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| 212 | 113 | 53.30% |
Number of Committee Meetings: 15
| Legislation Status | HBs | HJRs | HCRs | SBs | SJRs | SCRs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referred to Committee | 100 | 1 | 0 | 106 | 5 | 0 |
| Voted Out of Committee | 68 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 3 | 0 |
| Efficiency | 68% | 100% | – | 38.68% | 60% | – |
Committee Jurisdiction
The Texas Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs is responsible for a range of issues affecting the state’s water resources, agricultural activities, and rural communities. Key areas of jurisdiction include:
- Water System Reliability: Evaluating the state’s water systems to identify opportunities for improving their reliability and capacity to serve the public. This involves reviewing the coordination of relevant state agencies and making recommendations for better integration and efficiency.
- Water Utility Infrastructure: Assessing the condition of Texas’s water infrastructure, including deferred maintenance and disaster resilience, and recommending upgrades to ensure sustainability and efficiency.
- Water Supply: Reviewing projects in the State Water Plan, considering regulatory processes for innovative technologies such as marine desalination, and recommending improvements to address the state’s water supply needs.
- Groundwater Management and Protection: Evaluating the state’s groundwater management processes, data used for regional planning, and conservation goals, and making recommendations to protect groundwater quality.
- Rural Employment: Studying and making recommendations to support rural small business development and workforce needs, exploring innovative methods for business growth in rural areas.
- Daylight Savings Time: Examining the impact of permanently maintaining daylight savings time on the agricultural community.
- Rural Immigration: Considering the impact of federal immigration policies on rural areas, including the release of illegal immigrants, and reporting on the effects on local communities.
Committee Contact Information
Capitol Location
Sam Houston Building, 335
Phone Number
(512) 463-0340
