The veteran president of the Texas Senate and the new speaker of the House did not start out on the same page.

AUSTIN – Shortly after Lubbock Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows was elected Texas House speaker, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick questioned the legitimacy of his victory and issued a legislative challenge. Perhaps it was a threat. Pass conservative measures or else, Patrick suggested in a social media post and news release.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has long been a leading conservative voice in Texas. The stalwart Republican says he doesn’t yet know if Burrows will impact his hopes for a conservative agenda, but he expressed concern.

Meanwhile in the Panhandle, Republicans were less excited that Burrows won the speaker contest thanks largely to Democrats.

The state budget, school vouchers and a THC ban topped Patrick’s list. His other top goals include raising the property tax exemption for homeowners, improving electric and water infrastructure, and aiding the federal government with the deportation of people who are in the U.

Texas lawmakers are looking to spend billions of dollars over the next two years to create a school voucher-like program, cut property taxes, raise teacher pay, shore up water infrastructure and continue the state’s border crackdown,

AUSTIN – Shortly after Lubbock Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows was elected Texas House speaker, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick questioned the legitimacy of his victory and issued a legislative challenge.

DALLAS — The election of State Representative Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock ... Speaker of the majority party,” Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told us on Inside Texas Politics.

House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, Jan. 22. The proposals include billions of dollars for border security, property tax cuts, public school funding, water infrastructure and private school vouchers.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows navigates bipartisan tightrope with the adoption of new rules governing committees in his chamber.

While new House rules prevent Democrats from leading committees, it increases the power of the vice-chair position which will still give Democrats some say in legislation.

Democrats will serve as House committee vice chairs, which some lawmakers said harks back to the Texas tradition of power sharing. But vice chairs don’t have nearly the power enjoyed by chairs, who can push or kill legislation and are better positioned to pass legislation.