(The Center Square) – The Texas House early Thursday passed a school choice measure that would allow lower-income families to use tax dollars to send their children to private school.
The 85-63 vote fell mostly along party lines and came after hours of spirited debate. Democrats opposed it.
The legislation would create an Education Savings Account program to provide taxpayer-funded subsidies of a little more than $10,000 per student.
The House version of Senate Bill 2 would be capped at $1 billion annually the first two years.
Gov. Greg Abbott applauded the vote in a statement released early Thursday.
“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. I applaud the legislators who took a stand with the overwhelming majority of Texans who support school choice. When it reaches my desk, I will swiftly sign this bill into law, creating the largest day-one school choice program in the nation and putting Texas on a pathway to becoming the best state in America for educating our kids.”
One final vote in the House is required. After that, the legislation will go to a conference committee of members of both the House and Senate because the House changed the Senate version of the bill.
Good on Abbot!