With the governor’s mansion as their backdrop, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen on May 23 announced their agreement on the Texas Legislature’s state budget, property tax reform and school finance reform bills. Standing behind the state’s top three elected officials in the press conference were members of three House and Senate conference committees tasked with smoothing out the sticking points in House Bill 1, the state budget; Senate Bill 2, property tax reform; and House Bill 3, school finance reform. Abbott spoke first, saying the assertion that he, Patrick and Bonnen made in January at ...