Yesterday the House approved the Senate’s changes to House Bill 5. The House also approved the conference committee report on House Bill 2 (which the Senate approved on Friday). Thus, all five school-finance bills now await only Gov. Perry’s signature. (I expect a bill signing ceremony complete with the usual fanfare.) The Lege has adjourned sine die.

Meanwhile, the Center for Public Policy Priorities has reviewed the fiscal notes accompanying these bills. The conclusion:
Combining the estimated costs of HB 1 with the estimated revenue from HB 3, 4, and 5 reveals a potentially disastrous gap in future budgets. . . . This deficit will place tremendous pressure on the next state budget, which could cause severe budget cutbacks, an increase in the state sales tax or other state taxes, an expansion of gambling as a source of revenue, or all of the above.Oh my! What will happen when the 80th Legislature convenes?