The state budget has been in the spotlight as we’ve returned to the Capitol to finish our legislative business before the constitutionally required deadline of 5 p.m. on the last Friday in May.

I reported last week that the Senate and House worked together to create a budget package that will mitigate agency cuts to our core services even during the $1.3 billion revenue shortfall caused by COVID-19 and extremely low oil and gas prices. Unfortunately, the governor did not agree with some of the actions we took and subsequently vetoed several bills that funded education, as well as the general a...