AUSTIN, Texas — At the Texas Capitol, Thursday, state representatives approved an amendment banning the use of state funds in school voucher programs.
The vote comes the same day the Texas Senate is expected to vote on Senate Bill 8, which would create an education savings account, a top priority for both Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
The House voted 86-52 for the amendment against school vouchers after an unsuccessful effort by Republican leadership to table it.
Democrats were joined by 24 Republicans to pass the amendment and several other Republicans voted to stay neutral, registering as "present, not voting."
The amendment, brought by Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Robstown) prohibits the use of state funds for “school vouchers or other similar programs.” That includes education savings accounts, otherwise known as "school choice."
In the Texas Senate, lawmakers will vote on SB 8, which would create savings accounts that would give parents who opt out of the public school system $8,000 in taxpayer money per student each year. These funds could be used to pay for a child’s private schooling.
The amendment was made in House Bill 1, known the Biennial Budget. This bill is what lawmakers use to determine how taxpayer dollars will be spent for the next two years.
Both House Democrats and Republicans have shared what they want the state to invest in. In an email, Texas Democrats listed quality education for all children, voter education, paying retired Texas teachers and state employees, and ensuring that taxpayers "don't have to pay for Ken Paxton's shady settlements."
The Texas House Republican Caucus listed education, infrastructure, health and human services, pensions and legacy obligations, criminal justice and public safety.
For the majority of the day, as it pertained to education-related amendments to the budget in HB 1, both parties couldn't seemingly agree on much -- including an amendment that would take money from the property tax relief to give educators a $10,000 pay raise.