Groundwater supplies over half of the water used in Texas, and over 99% of drinking water for rural Texas (TGPC, n.d.). Groundwater conservation districts cover most of the state and nearly all of the aquifers that supply groundwater. The districts, which are governed by Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code, are the state’s preferred method of managing groundwater. Data-based decisions are critical to properly managing groundwater resources, particularly as groundwater increasingly is being used to supply water to municipal users. Districts must make important decisions related to the permitting of groundwater supply projects. However, many of the districts are poorly funded and are unable to adequately invest in the data gathering and science necessary to make informed decisions.
Technology
State AI Policy Preemption: Reconciliation Staving Off Heavy-Handed Regulation While Promoting Light-Touch Guardrails
The California Approach SB 1047-style AI regulation poses a threat to US hegemony in the AI race. Some particular concerns underscored by TPPF research include: Impossibly high pre-deployment standards, such as the assurance that there is zero possibility for covered models to have hazardous capabilities. Enmeshing AI into state functions with an explicit goal of...
May 22, 2025