On December 22nd, 2018, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush issued five "guiding principles" for the Texas Coastal Barrier proposal and study moving forward.

They include:

1. "Locate the levee system on or along the beach. This should be a sand dune-based system which would fit with the natural ecology. We must include nourished beaches to protect the dune levee and provide much needed sand to our already eroding beaches. I will not support any such sand levee unless adequate access to the beach is included. Consideration for property rights must be taken into account."
2. "The gate at Bolivar Roads proposal must not harm the ecology or the environment of the gulf."
3. "Provide alternatives to the ring levee in Galveston."
4. "The draft proposal must be republished with all necessary disclaimers that this is a draft document printed on every page."
5. "Finally after this public comment period is complete, we must hold another round of public meetings to review how the Corps has digested the feedback to date."