The Texas House unanimously passed House Bill 81 on Wednesday.

Halfway through the legislative session, lawmakers say they're getting along. But they have a long way to go to achieve their goals this year.

Members of the Texas House received their first look at the soon-to-be-filed proposal in a one-page summary circulating around the Texas Capitol Monday afternoon.

The proposal faces an uphill climb in the lower chamber, with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen saying he prefers to give school districts flexibility on addressing teacher pay.

Neave said Thursday afternoon that she had been notified of the lawsuit, which was filed earlier this week.

The president's support comes 21 months before Election Day.

Weeks after state leaders trumpeted a consensus property tax reform proposal, few seem married to the bill's pitch to cut the rollback rate to 2.5 percent.

Some freshman Democrats see an opportunity to be ambitious this legislative session. But more seasoned lawmakers suggest a more measured approach.

The Senate panel's vote came despite fierce pushback from city and county leaders, who say a lower election threshold on increased property tax revenues could hamstring their budgets.

Bonnen appointed House members to head more than 30 committees this legislative session.

The new House speaker discussed school finance in an interview with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith in Lake Jackson.

Bonnen’s unanimous election marks a new era of Texas House leadership for the first time in a decade. Meanwhile, the leader of the Texas Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, was conspicuously absent on opening day.

The 140-day sprint to the finish line will finally begin today, when state lawmakers convene in Austin for the Texas Legislature's 86th regular session.

Lawmakers have coalesced behind school finance and property taxes as top priorities, a stark contrast with the hot-button social legislation that headlined the 85th Legislature in 2017.

Twenty-two years after joining the Texas House as its youngest member, state Rep. Dennis Bonnen is poised to replace Joe Straus as the chamber's speaker on Jan. 8.