GeoLawWatch: Tracking Weather & Climate Legislation

A live overview of all active bills on weather modification, cloud seeding, and geoengineering in the current legislative session.

Texas:   BILL SB1154

Introduced

Relating to a prohibition on weather and climate modification activities by a governmental entity.

Relating to a prohibition on weather and climate modification activities by a governmental entity.

Bill summary (AI generated)

The bill titled "Relating to a prohibition on weather and climate modification activities by a governmental entity" seeks to establish restrictions on governmental entities regarding practices that modify weather and climate conditions. If enacted, this legislation would legally prohibit any efforts by government bodies to engage in activities aimed at altering or influencing weather or climate patterns. Under the proposed law, governmental entities would be barred from participating in any weather or climate modification. This prohibition could encompass a wide range of activities, including cloud seeding, geoengineering, or any other technological interventions intended to manipulate atmospheric or climatic conditions. The rationale behind this legislation may stem from concerns about the environmental and ethical implications of such modifications, including potential unforeseen consequences on ecosystems and public health. Governments would need to review their policies and activities related to weather modification and ensure compliance with this new legal framework. Failure to adhere to the legislation could result in legal repercussions for the entities involved. Overall, this bill reflects a growing caution against the artificial manipulation of natural systems and aims to regulate how governmental actions intersect with the environment.

History

Voluptas sed est recusandae facilis tempore nihil aliquam eos.

  • Thu 06 Feb 2025 Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  • Thu 06 Feb 2025 Filed
  • Fri 28 Feb 2025 Read first time
  • Fri 28 Feb 2025 Referred to Natural Resources

Bill text html

  89R2207 MP-D
 
  By: Hughes S.B. No. 1154
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a prohibition on weather and climate modification
  activities by a governmental entity.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 301, Agriculture Code, is
  amended by adding Section 301.002 to read as follows:
         Sec. 301.002.  WEATHER OR CLIMATE MODIFICATION BY
  GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY PROHIBITED. (a)  In this section,
  "geoengineering" means the intentional injection, release, or
  dispersion, by any means, of chemicals, chemical compounds,
  substances, or apparatus into the atmosphere with the express
  purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of
  sunlight.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, a governmental entity
  may not engage in geoengineering, weather modification and control,
  or cloud-seeding operations.
         SECTION 2.  Section 301.057, Agriculture Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 301.057.  [CONTRACTS AND] COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
  [(a)] The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation may
  cooperate with [public or] private agencies to promote the purposes
  of this chapter.
         [(b)  The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation may
  enter into cooperative agreements with the United States or any of
  its agencies, with counties and municipalities of this state, or
  with any private or public agencies for conducting weather
  modification or cloud-seeding operations.
         [(c)  The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation may
  represent the state, counties, municipalities, and public and
  private agencies in contracting with private concerns for the
  performance of weather modification or cloud-seeding operations.]
         SECTION 3.  Section 301.102(a), Agriculture Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation by
  rule, to the extent it considers exemptions practical, shall
  provide for exempting the following activities from the license and
  permit requirements of this chapter:
               (1)  research, development, and experiments conducted
  by private [state and federal agencies,] institutions of higher
  learning[,] and bona fide nonprofit research organizations;
               (2)  laboratory research and experiments;
               (3)  activities of an emergent nature for protection
  against fire, frost, sleet, or fog; and
               (4)  activities normally conducted for purposes other
  than inducing, increasing, decreasing, or preventing precipitation
  or hail.
         SECTION 4.  The following provisions of the Agriculture
  Code are repealed:
               (1)  Section 301.056;
               (2)  Section 301.058(b); and
               (3)  Chapter 302.
         SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a contract entered into on or after the effective date of this Act.  
  A contract entered into before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the contract was entered
  into, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.