Although the 88th Legislature is not scheduled to convene until Jan. 10, 2023, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is already starting his signaling for the legislature he would favor in the upcoming session.

Patrick leads the Texas Senate as part of his lieutenant governor role and is in charge of setting the agenda for the body during the biennial legislative session. Per the state constitution, the state house and senate only meet every two years, passing a budget for the same length of time.

Speaking at a Nov. 30 press conference, Patrick spoke about six broad concepts — property tax relief, the state’s power grid, a rural law enforcement fund, investments in mental health infrastructure, education reform and voter fraud — he wants addressed during the 88th Legislative Session.

According to projections Patrick presented, the biennium budget could increase to $131 billion from $119 billion in 2021. Revenues are expected to total over $149 billion, he added, which would leave around $15 billion to $20 billion in surplus funds to be used elsewhere.

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