Committee backs Mayfield bill to prohibit conditioning utility service on annexation
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Summary
CS/CS/SB 1014 was reported favorably after an amendment limited the bill to residential property owners and clarified capacity and effective-date language; sponsors and city representatives said the measure addresses public-health and environmental issues in unserved areas while asking for phased implementation to avoid unintended fiscal strain.
Senator Mayfield told the committee that CS/CS/SB 1014 would prohibit municipalities from declining to extend water or wastewater service to a property outside their limits solely because the owner refuses to annex, provided the property is within half a mile of a municipal mainline, not already in another service territory, and the utility has capacity to serve.
After working with the League of Cities, the sponsor offered an amendment that narrowed the bill to residential property owners, residential homeowner associations, and residential developers, and clarified "sufficient capacity" as including treatment and disposal capability; the amendment also exempted properties already under annexation or development agreements with an effective date of 07/01/2026 for certain provisions. Rebecca O'Hara and other city representatives said the change addressed many practical concerns but asked for further work on cost recovery language.
Supporters described the bill as an environmental and public-health measure for communities lacking sewer service; opponents and some smaller cities cautioned about implementation costs and timing. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably.
Provenance: Sponsor remarks, amendment, municipal testimony and roll call (topic intro SEG 1731; topic finish SEG 1927).