(The Center Square) – The Texas House for the first time in state history passed a school choice bill after previous attempts failed in multiple legislative sessions.
The House passed SB 2, filed by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, and its companion legislation filed by state Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, after 15 hours of being in session on Wednesday. After eight hours of debate that went into the early morning hours on Thursday, the measure passed along party lines by a vote of 85-63.
Gov. Greg Abbott lauded the bill’s passage after largely being responsible for it. In the last legislative session, he targeted 21 House Republicans who opposed the earlier measure, 16 of whom ran for reelection and lost to candidates he supported and campaigned for. After those Republicans won contentious primaries and vowed to vote for the school choice bill, they were sworn into office in January and followed through on their commitment.
“For the first time in Texas history, our state has passed a universal school choice bill out of both chambers in the Texas Legislature,” Abbott said. “This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children. Texas could not have accomplished this without the hard work and unwavering support from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Chairman Brandon Creighton, and Chairman Brad Buckley.”
He also said he will sign it as soon as it reaches his desk, which he argues creates “the largest day-one school choice program in the nation.”
House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, had said earlier in the session that the bill would pass and oversaw much of the proceedings on Wednesday. Throughout the legislative session, Burrows joined Abbott at events promoting the bill, The Center Square reported.
The bill creates the state’s first Education Savings Account program to provide taxpayer-funded subsidies for primarily low-income families of roughly $10,000 per student.
Both the Texas Senate and House proposed budgets allocating $1 billion for the program to support roughly 100,000 students, prioritizing low-income and special needs students, The Center Square reported. The savings accounts can be used by parents to send their children to the school of their choice, including private schools.
The ESA bill passed the House Education Committee two weeks ago along party lines after significant opposition was lodged by Republicans and Democrats statewide. The House passed Buckley’s education package, including the education funding bill creating the ESA, and others increasing teacher pay and implementing public school assessment and accountability processes.
Of the 44 amendments that reached the floor, Buckley blocked all of them by tabling them. Every time a Democrat proposed an amendment, debate ensued, a motion or point of order was filed, debate continued and then Buckley filed a motion to table the amendment. Republicans voted to kill each amendment by votes of roughly 80 to 60, until the last amendment was killed about 2 am on Thursday.
Closing arguments ensued with Republicans expressing support for the bill and Democrats opposing it.
One significant amendment filed by Democrat James Talarico, to allow the issue of school choice to be brought to voters as a ballot referendum, failed along party lines by a vote of 86-62.
The only House Republican who voted against tabling his measure was former House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont.
Ahead of the vote, President Donald Trump called Abbott, who met with House Republicans encouraging them to pass the bill.
“From rural communities to big cities, school choice will open doors in every region of our state,” Abbott said. “Every child in Texas deserves the education path that works best for them.”
