TX HB2018

Amends the definition of "agricultural conservation easement" to explicitly require that easements maintain the land's agricultural or timber use, in addition to conservation purposes like water quality, wildlife habitat, rare plant species, or preventing fragmentation

Expands the council's oversight duties to ensure easements are consistent with maintaining agricultural or timber use, in addition to existing requirements for open space preservation and wildlife/water conservation

Adds "land's agricultural or timber productivity" as a new scoring criterion when evaluating grant applications for conservation easements

Gives priority to applications that protect and maintain the agricultural or timber productivity of lands susceptible to development, subdivision, and fragmentation

Takes effect September 1, 2025; passed the House 142-0 on April 30, 2025, and the Senate 30-1 on May 9, 2025