Gov. Abbott says staff is working closely with House Republicans to hammer out deal on school choice bill
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Governor Greg Abbott said this week his staff has been working closely with Republicans in the Texas House on a bill that would use taxpayer money to help students attend private or religious schools.
He spoke to parents who support legislation at a rally at the Capitol Monday afternoon. "We are closer than we've ever been. My team today, yesterday, the day before, last week...my team, as we speak right now in the governor's office, they're working with the Texas House of Representatives to hammer out a deal."
It is a deal that's never been reached in the House, where rural Republicans have repeatedly joined Democrats over the years to reject a bill.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the eighth day of the special session, a bill had not been filed in the House and the Senate's bill that passed last week has not been set for a hearing yet by a House committee.
Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) hasn't updated reporters about this since he spoke with them at the Capitol early last week. "We're meeting two, three times a day across the House spectrum, especially with the rural Republicans who want to be comfortable with this idea."
Republican lawmakers from rural areas have opposed legislation because they worry it will hurt their school districts financially.
Dr. Josh Blank, research director at the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin, said the focus is on the rural Republicans. "Oh, they're under extreme pressure. Now, the question is really how they perceive that pressure. I mean, there's no doubt that significant outside interest groups are spending resources and really trying to put the pressure on them."
Democratic state lawmakers rallied against the legislation at a news conference in Dallas Friday, including Representative Mihaela Plesa (D-Plano). "It is up to us to protect public education. Let us not rob our children of their rightful resources. Let us not rob our teachers of their rightful compensation."
Representative Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) said he believes opponents will win again. "I believe the effort to pick off members will fail. And I do believe it will fail and vouchers will be rejected again. The fundamentals of the bipartisan consensus remain intact, and I believe they're going to hold this cycle."
The governor told supporters at the Capitol not to get complacent. "The deal is not yet done. You need to be involved to make sure we get this across the finish line."
Speaker Phelan said last week the school choice or voucher bill won't pass without giving more money to public schools.
But the governor, who controls the special session agenda, said he'll add school district funding and teacher raises, only after his school choice bill passes.
