[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6482232,"mediaKeyId","5595910-29a082fdb6aaa558cfe40640c8de1e94","parentId",5595910,"title","Missouri City council receives 2025 Texas legislative update; enters closed session on special session topics","audioSeconds",1815,"startMs",55000,"endMs",1870000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5595910-29a082fdb6aaa558cfe40640c8de1e94&start=55&end=1870","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5595910-29a082fdb6aaa558cfe40640c8de1e94/thumbnail_55000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6482232/Missouri-City/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Missouri-City-council-receives-2025-Texas-legislative-update-enters-closed-session-on-special-session-topics","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482232-5f7595e6a22de9c4d27023874231c3de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189646&Signature=YZg2ytZflUuGOJ85Urrd0f1yMRz~obsaMuNhdknXknooBABlHlnnTs7cFwbJnKCyQsGti8-BVhXhLi9F-4sIc1Bgm6S~A7hFd1hnNBrZ33b5x~OKuUoipLD3~uxH0eShYg28JxARsFib9LPfMIouPSE8DdCI1Mag4ZLrEbw17XtpytWzzywrW3JvNCBGPuzC0TOsQrUQkdaQ9zZIJzFIFu9PkL2TDNhEYIwX1L5T3GU4To2WsNf-PJztlp9CSMqtujzGR~K7jr3mgvlAqePPECogxW0izxs1ATt82aq3rQVo7zrdMOSWY7qhMfnI9v2rzQ~PJFZsdsoz9fxzyY2lYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Missouri City","date","2025-08-18T00:00:00Z","article","Missouri City’s council on Aug. 18 received a presentation on legislation from the 2025 Texas regular session and an ongoing special session that affect several city priorities, then voted 7‑0 to enter a closed executive session to discuss items on the special session agenda.

The update, delivered by City Attorney E. Joyce with legislative consultant Karen Kennard of Greenberg Traurig in attendance, summarized bills tied to priorities the council adopted in January and highlighted near‑term changes residents are likely to notice. Joyce said the regular session produced roughly 1,200 enacted bills and that staff is reviewing more than 250 measures that could affect municipal operations.

Joyce said, \"House Bill 21 requires traveling housing finance corporations to obtain the consent of a city before opening in those cities or in a city,\" and noted the change is prospective only. She added the city has previously faced attempts by out‑of‑area housing finance corporations to locate projects in Missouri City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.

The presentation flagged other enacted measures the city prioritized or monitored: House Bill 148, which requires appraisal‑board members to obtain additional education hours; Senate Bill 763, which requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to review concrete‑plant permits at least once every eight years; and House Bill 1522, which moves the public‑notice posting requirement for city council meetings from 72 hours to three business days (effective after Sept. 1). Joyce told council members staff will identify which bills require ordinance changes, process changes or other implementation steps.

Karen Kennard, the city’s legislative consultant, summarized bills the council had tracked but which did not advance this session. \"Those bills did not get any traction this year,\" she said of several proposals addressing group‑home regulation. Kennard and Joyce also described ongoing special session topics that could affect the city, including flood response measures, congressional redistricting and several revenue‑cap and property‑tax items being debated in Austin. Joyce and the consultant said the city has been primarily on the defensive against proposals that would further limit local revenue, including bills that would reduce the current 3.5% no‑new‑revenue threshold and proposals to add a broad revenue cap that could affect bonds and enterprise fund revenue.

Council members asked for details about specific bills and next steps. Joyce said some bills have effective dates as soon as Sept. 1 and others will be implemented over the coming months; she told council staff will work with departments to develop implementation plans and present ordinance or process changes as needed through the end of the calendar year.

Council Member Boney moved, and Council Member Clauser seconded, a motion to convene a closed executive session to discuss matters in the special session; a roll call recorded Mayor Alikat and six council members voting yes and Joyce announced, \"The motion carries 7 to 0.\"

Joyce said the presentation materials can be posted to the city’s website with the consultant’s permission and that legal and operational items identified for departments will be routed to the appropriate staff for action and reporting back to council.

Effective dates and implementation timing for individual bills will vary; council members were told staff will return with specific recommendations where ordinance changes or other formal council action is required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Missouri City - Special City Council","oneSentenceSummary","Missouri City’s council on Aug. 18 received a presentation on legislation from the 2025 Texas regular session and an ongoing special session that affect several city priorities, then voted 7‑0 to enter a closed executive session to discuss items on the special session agenda.","taxTitle","Missouri City, Fort Bend County, Texas","taxId",2794,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6482228,"Missouri City considers limited sale of groundwater over‑conversion credits; GRP recommends cap of 5 billion gallons",0,1889000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5595910-29a082fdb6aaa558cfe40640c8de1e94&start=1889&end=1889","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5595910-29a082fdb6aaa558cfe40640c8de1e94/thumbnail_1889000.jpg","/articles/6482228/Missouri-City/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Missouri-City-considers-limited-sale-of-groundwater-overconversion-credits-GRP-recommends-cap-of-5-billion-gallons","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482228-75acfff31bcd18d9881360d0b90b03e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189646&Signature=UwrPLyeN-2Gj2t0NsxB6Owzr-J7MD7qprWUcpZK2A3nkb1MeWq2vJwvCCFc82XD5f1cbJCk1Uc5vo480vp7hiQaRCRUupovbgxl5-UH6u60elh2NxleyoyU-OiHY25G1braR2ZjDKLUE90c4VOb62RcAMWBe5d6huOBtKIRvwRB-AJxZ0NJQ~arMNh8T6PVG2zgFCSbnepWMylQpAywm0udsdV7myRytPqCBvP04LbELpIzVmyZxiyfaYbXvCskf6~hs3L8CJFe3whHEVWHWCdbOGNfJ3jKTUOaN00aYG-rJ9KeQBJRfqKxvOeifY1PxTGFdJqRq20MmOjnehKHTzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Missouri City council discussed authorizing staff to seek potential buyers and negotiate the sale of a portion of the city’s groundwater over‑conversion credits during its Aug. 18 special meeting.

Assistant Utilities Director Nicholas Cook explained the credits are part of the Fort Bend Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP) compliance program. \"Currently, the GRP owns 19,000,000,000 gallons of over conversion credits, and they were purchased at a rate of 2¢ per thousand gallons,\" Cook said, describing the purchase as an insurance policy that protects the city from higher disincentive fees if groundwater pumping exceeds permitted limits. Cook said the disincentive fee currently is $6.50 per thousand gallons.

Cook said the GRP oversight committee recommended council allow staff to pursue sales of up to 5,000,000,000 gallons at no less than $3.50 per thousand gallons. The immediate market interest the city has identified so far is for 20,000,000 gallons. At a sale price of $3.50 per thousand gallons, a 20,000,000‑gallon sale would yield about $70,000; at $4.50 per thousand gallons it would yield about $90,000, Cook said.

Shashi Kumar, who spoke for the GRP oversight committee, described the committee’s approach as conservative and said the city’s banked credits provide multi‑year insurance. \"We have banked enough credits, 19,000,000,000 gallons, which can supply even without anything for 3 plus years of water,\" Kumar said, adding that selling a portion of the credits could help stabilize future water rates by adding revenue to the GRP fund.

Council members pressed staff on risk and timing. Cook said the city uses roughly 5,000,000,000 gallons per year (combined groundwater and surface water) and that if the 2027 regulatory threshold were in effect today the city’s credits would cover conversion needs for roughly 27 years. He said the GRP recommendation to cap sales at 5,000,000,000 gallons preserves a large reserve (roughly 14,000,000,000 gallons remaining after a maximum sale) while allowing the city to monetize excess credits conservatively.

The GRP oversight committee membership was described in the meeting: a city representative (Shashi Kumar), a converting member (Coral Bulls, representing Sienna Regional MUD) and a non‑converting member (Morris Mitchell, representing Thunderbird). Cook and other staff noted that Fort Bend Water Authority and several GRPs in the county also hold credits; the Fort Bend Water Authority has sold credits in the past.

At the end of the item a motion to authorize staff to seek and negotiate sales was made by Council Member Boney and seconded by Council Member Riley; the transcript records the motion and the request to vote but does not record the outcome of that final vote.

Cook outlined next steps if council approves: staff would solicit and negotiate offers, finalize sales and deposit proceeds into the GRP fund to support water projects and rate stability. Council members asked staff to remain conservative and not sell so many credits as to jeopardize the city’s long‑term insurance against higher disincentive fees.","City staff presented a proposal to seek buyers for a small portion of the city’s groundwater over‑conversion credits; the GRP recommended a conservative cap of 5 billion gallons and reported a market inquiry for 20 million gallons.","actionData","errors"]

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Missouri City council receives 2025 Texas legislative update; enters closed session on special session topics

Missouri City considers limited sale of groundwater over‑conversion credits; GRP recommends cap of 5 billion gallons