The 86th Texas Legislature convened on Jan. 8 with all its customary ceremonies and recognitions — chief of which was the unanimous election of a new House speaker, Angleton Republican Dennis Bonnen. On Jan. 9, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, and Speaker Bonnen announced their joint commitment to passing legislation that would improve how public education is funded. That arduous and heretofore divisive task means rethinking and recalibrating what share of the cost would be funded by local property taxes — public education’s primary source of funding. Patrick predicted this legislative session would be different ...