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Legislative consultant briefs Prosper council on 89th Legislature, special sessions and bills affecting municipalities
Summary
Mercury LLC consultant Jake Posey summarized outcomes of the 2025 regular and special sessions, including digital‑notice bills, tax‑rebate reform aimed at sales‑tax arrangements, housing measures (ADUs and minimum‑lot rules), redistricting litigation and other items relevant to Prosper.
Jake Posey, legislative consultant with Mercury LLC, told the Prosper Town Council on Oct. 28 that the 89th Texas Legislature and subsequent special sessions generated heavy bill activity and several items with direct municipal implications.
Posey said the session produced "8,700 plus bills filed" with a passage rate "just under 14%," and noted numerous new House members that will affect committee makeup in future sessions. He highlighted several topic areas of interest to Prosper: digital‑notice bills that would give municipalities alternatives to print public notices (citing bills filed by Rep. Matt Shaheen and Sen. Brett Hagen as sponsors), proposed limits on the use of municipal sales‑tax rebates (HB 5169/SB 2747, as cited), and housing bills including accessory‑dwelling‑unit proposals and minimum‑lot‑size legislation that took effect Sept. 1, 2025 for larger cities.
Posey discussed efforts the town supported, including a near‑miss on tax‑rebate reform that cleared the Senate and advanced in the House calendar but was not finally heard before the House deadline. He also noted ongoing administrative options and meetings with the Texas Comptroller's office as one path to address sales‑tax redirection, and he said some other municipalities similarly affected are pursuing the issue.
On redistricting, Posey said recent map changes have been folded into an existing court case out of El Paso and that, for the immediate election cycle, it is likely the newly drawn maps will hold until the court rules. He also summarized energy, public‑safety and hemp/THC discussions: public‑safety bills tied to state flood responses advanced, while hemp clarifications did not pass and instead prompted a governor's executive order that directed enforcement actions at the agency level.
Councilmembers thanked the consultants for tracking items and helping the town engage at the Capitol; staff and council indicated they will continue to work administratively and prepare for the 2027 session.
