Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

Newly elected House Speaker Joe Straus III struck expected but welcome notes of reconciliation and moderation on Tuesday in his eight-minute acceptance speech. Straus was elected by acclamation. But as a Republican who depended on a large bloc of Democrats in rapid maneuvering to secure the speaker's chair, Straus has every reason to practice what he promised Tuesday.

"Collaboration is the key to success in this session," Straus said. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

House members, he promised, will "have an opportunity to express their views and a chance to do something great for their districts and for Texas.

"We will create an atmosphere where everyone's voice can and should be heard, a place where we respect each other's point of view, Democrat and Republican, urban and rural, liberal and conservative," Straus said.

At one level, of course, this was the usual boilerplate of newly elected speakers. But given how Straus emerged as the new speaker because of the fierce anger so many members felt toward his predecessor, Rep. Tom Craddick of Midland, his words carried a special weight — and members rightly should hold him to them.

Though Straus did not get specific on issues, he did say that not only must the state approve a budget and ensure a quality education for students at all levels, it also must "continue to improve access to health care; we must improve our transportation system and make it more transparent."

And while lawmakers need to work to create more jobs in Texas and improve the economy, he said, they must also be "better stewards for our natural resources and protect our environment." We look forward to seeing how he intends to do that as speaker.

But if the House was trying hard to get along, the Senate began moving toward a fight that could break out today. Some Republican senators want to rein in the two-thirds rule, which effectively requires every bill to have at least two-thirds of the Senate — 21 of 31 members — agree to debate a bill before it can even be voted on.

The two-thirds rule occasionally frustrates majorities, particularly partisans, and in the Senate there are 19 Republicans and 12 Democrats. There was a move by some Republicans to exempt two issues — redistricting and voter ID — from the two-thirds rule, and it's no coincidence that both are highly partisan issues.

There's also a proposal from Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, to reduce the two-thirds rule to three-fifths, or 19 of 31 senators.

The proposed rule changes might not get far, nor should they.

Gov. Rick Perry briefly addressed both the House and the Senate and the milling throngs of family and friends in the chambers for the swearing in ceremonies. It was a welcoming speech, not a moment for the governor to dwell on the financial difficulties facing the state and the Legislature. There will be time for that later.

The Legislature is back. Good luck to them, because if they get it wrong, we'll all pay the price.