The Texas House’s vote to block education savings accounts disappointed voucher advocates and likely spelled doom for additional public school funding. Both bands say they’ll keep pushing for their priorities during next year’s primary elections and the 2025 legislative session.
Texas Legislature 2023
During the 88th Legislature’s regular session, lawmakers increased school safety funding, passed a law designed to shore up the state’s electrical grid and banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities. After two special legislative sessions, the GOP-controlled chambers agreed to an $18 billion tax cut for property owners. A third special session began Oct. 9 focusing on school vouchers and border issues. Learn how legislators write laws and which elected officials represent you. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get all the latest session news.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate passes its own school safety funding bill, but little time remains to get it across the finish line
Senate Bill 5 would send an extra $800 million to public schools for security upgrades over the next two years. But the measure is at risk of becoming the latest casualty of the rift between the Texas House and Senate.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Legislature sends $1.54 billion bill for border barriers to Gov. Abbott
Senate Bill 3 would also appropriate $40 million for state troopers to patrol Colony Ridge, a housing development outside of Houston, and allow the state to send money to local jurisdictions to offset the cost of enforcing another immigration-related bill.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Greg Abbott begins offensive against school voucher opponents, endorsing first House primary challenger
Abbott on Tuesday backed Hillary Hickland, an activist mother who is running against Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple.
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Texas Legislature 2023
School voucher fallout leaves Texas Legislature with no clear sense on next steps
Vouchers were left without a clear path forward after a decisive vote Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott, who had threatened lawmakers with more special sessions to pass the proposal, seems to have turned his attention to punishing voucher opponents in next year’s primary elections.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Gov. Greg Abbott endorses reelection bids of 58 House members who voted for school vouchers
No members who voted against Abbott’s top legislative priority received the governor’s backing.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill
The outcome was an embarrassment to Gov. Greg Abbott, who spent seven months lobbying two dozen Republicans who signaled opposition to vouchers in April.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House cuts school vouchers out of the education bill. See how lawmakers voted on the measure.
Here’s how each representative voted on an amendment that removed school vouchers from the education bill on Friday.
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Texas Legislature 2023
“Our public school system is our town”: Why this rural Republican is voting against school vouchers
Despite intense political pressure, Republican Rep. Gary VanDeaver said he won’t support a bill that includes school vouchers. Rural Republicans like VanDeaver have long opposed school vouchers because of the unique role public schools they play in their communities.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas legislators approve bill allowing police to arrest people who cross the border illegally
The Texas House also voted to spend $1.5 billion on new state border walls, though that measure must be reconciled with the Senate version before it’s sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for consideration.