As Texas school choice bill moves closer to governor's desk, Democrats want Republicans to pay political price
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who is Chairman of the Senate's K-16 Public Education Committee, said they will recommend that Senators approve changes made by the House to the bill that will use public tax dollars to send students to private school. It's a significant development because it will speed up the process of getting it to the Governor's desk.
All the Republican majority in the Senate will have to do is approve SB 2, as they've already done on the original bill. It won't need to go back to the House. In a statement, Republican State Sen.Brandon Creighton of Conroe said, "I will be recommending that my Senate colleagues concur with the House-passed version of SB 2. Should the Texas Senate vote to concur, the bill will soon be on Governor Abbott's desk."
After more than 10 hours of debate, the House passed the education savings accounts bill at 2:06 a.m. Thursday, by an 85-63 margin. The House gave final passage on Thursday afternoon.
Democrats hope Republicans will pay a political price
Democrats in the House are now looking to the next election, where they hope Republicans will pay a political price.
"What's next is the election for all these people who decided to vote yes on this bill because I can tell you I am a student of history and I have seen that members who have voted for vouchers tend to lose their next elections," Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, said. "So all those members better stand strong in their convictions to vote to defund public schools and take Texas tax dollars out of public schools."
Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, said, "Our message is that elections matter and if you want to support your public schools, you're going to have to leave the house and go and vote and vote for Democratic members of the legislature."
Republicans celebrate and defend SB 2 passing
Republicans say the legislature is not defunding public schools, and instead, is on its way to approving billions of dollars of new money for public schools.
They said they're focused on making sure their education savings account bill, which gives students taxpayer money to attend private schools, will prioritize students with disabilities and low-income students.
"I think it's very important because I think if that doesn't happen, and we find this money is only going to people that are currently going to private schools and to wealthy people, it's probably not going to get renewed next year," Rep. Mike Olcott, R-Aledo, said. "I think it's going to be a pr nightmare. But I have full confidence in Chairman Buckley and the way he's written the bill. We're going to do it right."
"Everybody wants to talk about these $50,000 private schools," Rep. Katrina Pierson, R-Rockwall, said. "That's not what this is for. This is for the low-income families in our communities that have affordable private schools, $8,000, $10,000, so it's structured to serve those people."
Once approved by the Senate and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, the Texas Comptroller's Office will develop and administer the education savings account program. It is slated to take effect for the 2026-27 school year.
