Lt. Gov. and House Speaker had their first meeting in months on Monday.
"The Speaker and I had a substantive meeting today where we discussed a lot of issues. We are still talking," Patrick said in an emailed statement.
The two Republican leaders 鈥� who have traded barbs over issues like the 鈥渂athroom bill鈥� and school finance since the 30-day special legislative session began 鈥� have a history of frosty relations.
At a news conference days before lawmakers returned to Austin in July, the lieutenant governor said Straus had refused his requests for a one-on-one meeting since the regular session began in January.
鈥淚鈥檝e never had a one-on-one meeting with the speaker the entire session or since the session,鈥� Patrick said. 鈥淚f he鈥檚 serious 鈥� because I鈥檓 serious and the governor鈥檚 serious 鈥� then you have to sit down and discuss it and work it out.鈥�
Shortly after, during a speech at a conservative think tank, Patrick promised to be the governor鈥檚 鈥渨ingman,鈥� repeatedly casting Straus as the enemy of Gov. 鈥檚 priorities and saying he would not 鈥渟it back鈥� while Straus derailed their conservative agenda.
More recently, Patrick struck a somewhat more conciliatory tone during an Aug. 1 interview with a conservative group, between his chamber and Straus'.
Straus has stopped short of committing to pass all of the governor鈥檚 special session priority items 鈥� and made known his staunch opposition to the 鈥渂athroom bill鈥� 鈥� but said that he believes the House, Senate and governor will find common ground on some issues.
With a little more than a week left in the special session, have cleared both chambers.
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