With Thursday's release of the 2027 Texas House of Representatives committee priorities, Speaker Dustin Burrows has named the groundwater supply, AI data centers, and possibly claiming land from New Mexico in his vision for next year's session.
With Thursday's release of the 2027 Texas House of Representatives committee priorities, Speaker Dustin Burrows has named the groundwater supply, AI data centers, and possibly claiming land from New Mexico in his vision for next year's session.
Burrows released the Interim Committee Charges as marching orders for the year gap between now and the start of the 90th Texas Legislature. Each committee was given similar instructions: assess the effectiveness of last session's laws, study major issues related to their niches, and check in on government agencies for money and program management. The committees were generally given the tasks that could be expected, and Burrows aligned in many areas with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's priorities for the Senate. The House will look into lowering property taxes, continuing the charge against foreign threats , and preventing unnecessary and fraudulent spending by the state government. In the broader range of the Speaker's vision for the next session, he created three new committees on governmental oversight, health care affordability and general aviation, and placed an emphasis on several interesting topics of study. The issue of a falling water supply surfaces in several committees' priorities throughout the document: to name a few, Agriculture and Livestock was told to study water scarcity; Appropriations to look into infrastructure; Energy Resources to check water production and wells; Environmental Regulation to examine quality and regulation; and Natural Resources to study the long-term viability of groundwater management. The legislature invested a great amount of time, attention and tax dollars into water in the last session, and Burrows aims to check the effect of those actions, as well as continue to plan for the future of the state's supply and infrastructure.The state's problem with water has been ongoing for years, and even with a new influx of funding and studies, the future implications of a dwindling groundwater supply are only compounding. In just the past few weeks, several Central Texas areas, including Hays County, the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer, and Pflugerville have announced crises. Most recently, Corpus Christi has begun to project an emergency this year if the statewide drought persists. Somewhat related to the previous topic, the timely issue of AI data centers made multiple appearances on the priority list. Natural Resources was directed to examine the impact of their water supply use, and State Affairs was instructed to examine their development's relation to the economy, labor demands, and grid resilience.Data center development has been a point of controversy between the public and politicians recently, with lawmakers caught between the potential for economic gain versus a drain on natural resources, and residents reluctant to live near the imposing, often noisy centers. Texas is home to about 400 data centers, either operational, under construction or in the planning stages. Environmental experts are uncertain how the relatively new developments could impact the water supply and historically shaky power grid in the state, and continued regulation by state lawmakers will be key in monitoring and controlling their spread as the situation progresses. The strangest and most uncertain issue in the list of priorities is that of possibly absorbing "one or more contiguous counties" from New Mexico. The new Governmental Oversight committee was tasked with studying the Texas-New Mexico border, and checking the implications of allowing land from the neighboring state to band together, secede, and join Texas. This issue was first breached when Burrows welcomed the idea of Lea County coming "back to Texas, where it rightfully belongs," in a post to X, formerly Twitter, in February. The issue was sparked by a legislator from that county introducing a secession amendment. FOX Local has reached out to the offices of Burrows, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and NM Gov. Michelle Grisham about the issue. None had provided comment at the time of reporting.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New at Petco Park: Retro speakeasy, new video boards, new and local food favoritesInside the park, the Padres added two new video boards to the first- and third-base towers. They will display real-time pitchers' statistics.
Read more »
Texas Ranked 15th Most Stressed State in the Nation, According to New ReportA recent WalletHub study reveals that Texas ranks as the 15th most stressed state in the U.S. in 2026. The report analyzes 40 key stress indicators, including work hours, financial health, and health and safety metrics, highlighting the factors contributing to Texans' stress levels. The study underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to address stress at both personal and societal levels.
Read more »
Timberland debuting in North Texas with three new storesA longtime brand that’s known for its boots is investing in North Texas. Timberland is opening three retail stores in the region with sites in the region.
Read more »
Forced to sell medications at a loss, rural Texas pharmacies seek new survival tacticsIndependent rural pharmacists are starting other businesses or selling baby shower gifts to keep their stores operating. Pharmacy deserts affect 4 million Texans.
Read more »
Texas hemp shop sues to block new 'Total THC' rules set for March 31A Texas-based hemp retailer has filed a lawsuit in Travis County to block new state regulations scheduled to take effect March 31, 2026, that would effectively ban many currently legal hemp products.
Read more »
Texas measles cases surge as West Texas detention center outbreaks spreadHealth officials in West Texas have identified 147 confirmed measles cases this year, with the vast majority linked to regional detention facilities as of mid-March.
Read more »