Search results Help  |  Status


SB 8, 54th R.S.
Relating to amending certain Laws so as to declare as abandoned all certified filings heretofore filed with and permits heretofore issued by the Board of Water Engineers and permits hereafter issued by the Texas Water Commission, which certified filings and permits authorize the appropriation of public waters, when no part of the waters authorized to be appropriated has ever been put to beneficial use at any time during a ten-year period preceding the effective date of this Act or the date of cancellation proceedings authorized hereby; requiring the Texas Water Commission to cancel such certified filings and permits when found to have been abandoned; requiring public hearings before cancellation and forfeiture; providing for notice before hearing and an opportunity to the holder to present evidence that water has been beneficially used under the certified filing or permit during such ten-year period; declaring that failure to cancel shall not validate or enhance a certified filing or permit; defining a certified filing; providing for appeals form orders of cancellation; repealing all conflicting laws; providing a savings clause.

House and Senate Journals

The House and Senate Journals contain the official proceedings of the House of Representatives and Senate. The Journals include the text of proposed amendments to legislation and record votes. The Journals do not routinely contain transcripts of debates on bills; material such as speeches, statements of intent, parlimentary inquiries or other discussion may occasionally be included if members of the Legislature specifically asked that it be recorded in the Journals.

Printed journals for most sessions are available at the Legislative Reference Library, in law libraries around the state, and at the Dallas and Houston public libraries.

Scanned House and Senate Journals from the 54th R.S. are available online.

Other helpful documents

A variety of sources can provide background material, analysis and historical perspective for legislation which may be useful to the researcher. The sources suggested below may contain useful information which is not directly linked to a bill number.

Legislative Reports

Legislative interim committees and special investigative committees may be assigned to conduct in-depth studies of significant issues, to review the effectiveness of new legislation, and to develop legislative proposals for upcoming sessions.

Search the Legislative Reports database by subject or keyword for related reports.

State agency reports

Reports issued by state agencies, the House Research Organization, the Senate Research Center, and the Sunset Advisory Commission may also help to identify legislative intent. Recent reports are often available on the web site of the agency issuing the report; older reports may be available at the Legislative Reference Library or at other Texas State Depository Libraries.


The Legislative Archive System is a work in progress. Complete information is not available for all bills and all sessions. Visit the Legislative Archive System status page for details. Please contact the Legislative Reference Library at 512-463-1252 if you have any questions. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.