Despite dying in committee, a bill aimed at increasing the penalty imposed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for environmental violations stirred a conversation about the agency’s lack of oversight.

House Bill 3035 by Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) would have required TCEQ to ensure the amount of any administrative penalties that could be given is at least equal to the value of the economic benefit gained by the alleged violator.

“We have more facilities applying...