SB2203 • 2025

Relating to the certification of discovery issues to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in contested cases referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings by the commission.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Birdwell
Last action: 2025-05-26
Official status: 05/26/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relating to the certification of discovery issues to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in contested cases referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings by the commission.

What This Bill Does

Relating to the certification of discovery issues to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in contested cases referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings by the commission.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online
Placed on General State Calendar
2025-05-24 Texas Legislature Online
Considered in Calendars
2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online
Committee report sent to Calendars
2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online
Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online
Committee report distributed
2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online
Considered in public hearing
2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
2025-05-14 Texas Legislature Online
Read first time
2025-05-14 Texas Legislature Online
Referred to Environmental Regulation
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Rules suspended-Regular order of business
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Read 2nd time
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Amendment(s) offered. FA1 Birdwell
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Amended
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Passed to engrossment as amended
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Three day rule suspended
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Record vote
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Read 3rd time
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Passed
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Record vote
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Reported engrossed
2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online
Received from the Senate
2025-05-09 Texas Legislature Online
Placed on local & uncontested calendar
2025-05-09 Texas Legislature Online
Removed from local & uncontested calendar
2025-05-06 Texas Legislature Online
Placed on intent calendar
2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online
Reported favorably as substituted
2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online
Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online
Committee report printed and distributed
2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online
Posting rule suspended
2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online
Considered in public hearing
2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online
Vote taken in committee
2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online
Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online
Considered in public hearing
2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online
Testimony taken in committee
2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online
Left pending in committee
2025-03-25 Texas Legislature Online
Read first time
2025-03-25 Texas Legislature Online
Referred to Natural Resources
2025-03-11 Texas Legislature Online
Received by the Secretary of the Senate
2025-03-11 Texas Legislature Online
Filed

Official Summary Text

Relating to the certification of discovery issues to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in contested cases referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings by the commission.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

89(R) SB 2203 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text

By: Birdwell

S.B. No. 2203

(Darby)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the certification of discovery issues to the Texas

Commission on Environmental Quality in contested cases referred to

the State Office of Administrative Hearings by the commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2003.047, Government Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (i) and adding Subsection (i-4) to read as

follows:

(i) The office and the commission jointly shall adopt rules

providing for certification to the commission of an issue that

involves an ultimate finding of compliance with or satisfaction of

a statutory standard the determination of which is committed to the

discretion or judgment of the commission by law.
Each agency shall

publish the jointly adopted rules.
The rules must
:

(1)
address, at a minimum, the issues that are

appropriate for certification and the procedure to be used in

certifying the issue
;

(2)

provide that on a motion made by a party, the

administrative law judge shall promptly certify to the commission

any issue relating to the scope of discovery under Subsection (g);

and

(3)

provide that certification of an issue expires by

operation of law if the certified issue is not set for the

commission's consideration within 15 days after the date the

administrative law judge files with the chief clerk a request for

the commission to answer the certified issue
. [
Each agency shall

publish the jointly adopted rules.
]

(i-4)

Following certification to the commission of an issue

relating to the scope of discovery under Subsection (g), the

administrative law judge may abate the deadline specified by

Subsection (e-2) until the first business day following the earlier

of:

(1)

the commission's consideration of the certified

issue; or

(2)

the expiration by operation of law of the issue's

certification.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.