House refuses to concur on Lake/Houston‑area water export language; conference committee appointed for HB 27

The House on Aug. 31 refused to concur with Senate changes to House Bill 27, a local water bill from East Texas addressing high‑capacity groundwater exports, and appointed a conference committee to reconcile differences.

“Removing the moratorium removes the mechanism that give our communities breathing room while the study is conducted,” Representative Harris said on the floor. Harris said the bill originally combined a Water Development Board study of aquifer sustainability with a temporary moratorium on issuing export permits in the affected Groundwater Conservation District (GCD). He said the Senate stripped the moratorium language, leaving the study without the pause Harris and his constituents requested.

Harris urged local GCDs to deny pending high‑capacity export permits, said he would hold interim hearings, and secured the House’s agreement to appoint conferees. Representative Harris formally moved that the House refuse to concur in Senate amendments and requested appointment of a conference committee; the motion was granted without objection and the House named its conferees.

Harris and several supporters argued the proposed exports risk long‑term drawdown of the Carrizo‑Wilcox aquifer and could threaten rural private wells and downstream municipal supplies. Supporters stressed the governor added the local bill to the special session call, which Harris said signaled statewide concern.

The House’s action does not adopt the Senate amendments; instead, a conference committee will negotiate language and any implementation or moratorium language ahead of further votes.