School Choice Bill To Be Vetoed by Texas Governor If Not Expanded

Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened to veto the School Choice bill if the scope would not be expanded. The bill had stalled in the lower chamber for a month now due to a lack of sufficient support.

On May 14, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas declared he would veto a diminished version of the School Choice bill that offers school vouchers in the state. Furthermore, Abbott threatened to summon legislators back for special sessions if they do not expand the scope of the bill this May.

According to Lopez, Abbott’s declaration happened the night before a public hearing on Senate Bill 8, the School Voucher bill, was scheduled to be held by the House Public Education Committee. Reports say the bill had already passed the Senate over a month ago. However, it has been stalled in the lower chamber due to a lack of sufficient support.

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School Choice Bill

An article in the San Antonio Express-News states that the School Voucher bill was authored by Senator Brandon Creighton. The committee is scheduled to vote on the revised version of the bill today, May 15. Reportedly, the revised version intends to downsize who can be eligible for the school vouchers. This means that only students with disabilities and those who attended an F-rated campus can be eligible.

However, Abbott does not believe that the revised version of the School Voucher bill will be enough for the School Choice bill. The Senate had already approved a version of the School Choice bill that would be available to most K-12 students. In addition, parents would receive up to $8,000 per year once they decide to choose a private schooling system for their children.

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