.png)
In the ever-evolving landscape of Texas politics, the battle for school choice has encountered a formidable challenge, exposing a concerning gap between the people and the Legislature's actions.
The Senate's Resolute Move: On the 12th of October, the Texas Senate made a resounding statement by passing SB 1—a bill designed to address the call for school choice. This bill was demanded by the people of Texas and Governor Abbott himself. Despite initial enthusiasm, SB 1 found itself in the Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Committee in the House, awaiting review with only a week left in the special session. It is doubtful that this bill will pass through the committee to the House floor.
In response to the Senate's initiative, the House presented a school choice bill that is a scaled-back version—the usual move from RINO speaker Dade Phelan’s House. There is a bigger plan behind this.
Tennessee did what the Texas House is attempting to do. Pass a watered-down bill that is ineffective, to show voters that it was a bad idea from the start. This bill, like the Tennessee bill, wouldn’t be available to all students. In its first year, it’ll only be available to 25,000. That isn’t nearly enough to even test the effectiveness of school choice and the ESA program in Texas.
As the special session nears its end, a stark reality emerges—the Texas Legislature is failing to take a stand for the wants and needs of its citizens and caving to leftist pressure for a watered-down school choice agenda. We must hope that SB 1 has the chance to pass through the committee and receives the opportunity to see the House floor. This is an issue that we will continue to fight for, even after this session concludes.