AUSTIN — The Sabine-Neches Navigation District legislation, authored by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) and sponsored by Representative Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont), has passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature and will now be sent to the Governor for signature. Senate Bill 1137 clarifies existing state statutes and authorizes the District to enter into contracts and agreements necessary to deepen the Sabine-Neches Waterway.

"It has been a privilege to work alongside Representative Deshotel in passing S.B. 1137," said Senator Creighton. "This legislation will go a long way in improving the Sabine-Neches Waterway and boosting economic growth in Jefferson County. The Sabine-Neches Navigation District is a lifeline of the Texas economy and this expansion will affect the entire nation's economic outlook."

"Today we are one step closer to seeing a deepening of the Sabine-Neches Waterway that will create jobs and increase the capacity of economic output," stated Representative Joe Deshotel. "I'm proud to have worked with my colleagues across the aisle to pass a bipartisan bill that is great for Southeast Texans and the entire Texas economy."

"Senate Bill 1137 provides the district important tools necessary to move forward with the widening and deepening project authorized by the 2014 Water Resources Development Act," Navigation District General Manager Randall Reese. "We thank Senator Creighton and Representative Deshotel's leadership in supporting a project will bring tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of investment to the region."

The Sabine-Neches Navigation District is the third largest waterway in the United States and the nation's largest commercial military out-port. Over 100 million tons of cargo are carried on the Sabine-Neches Waterway each year. Currently, industry related sectors supported by the Sabine-Neches Waterway generate over $32 billion in gross product, $18 billion in personal income, $3.4 billion in federal taxes, and more than 288,000 permanent jobs annually.

Senate Bill 1137 does not authorize any new taxing authority.

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