The Texas House of Representatives voted on Thursday to advance a school choice bill in the Lone Star State.
Lawmakers voted 85-63 in favor of advancing Senate Bill 2, which would establish education savings accounts for Texas families. These accounts would provide $10,000 per student to help these families pay for the tuition costs of private schools.
This bill also establishes a $1 billion annual spending cap for the first two years.
The vote was largely along party lines, with just two Republican representatives – Reps. Dade Phelan and Gary VanDeaver – voting against the bill.
President Donald Trump phoned in before the floor debate. He said a vote for school choice is a “really forward-thinking vote,” urging Republican representatives to remain united during this process.
“There’s nothing complex about it. You’re not going to get hurt by it. It’s actually almost the opposite. People really want it,” said the President, per Texas Scorecard.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement following the vote of approval. He called it an “extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children.”
“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,” continued Abbott.
The vote to approve school choice marks a significant win for Abbott following years of attempting to pass legislation, with many Republicans voting against school choice in previous years.
Although some may be concerned about the impact of school choice on those against the bill, Rice University Political Science Professor Mark Jones said the majority of residents will not experience much change.
“Even if it passes, only an overwhelming majority of Texans will not benefit from it. Only a small share that win the lottery, which will literally be a lottery, and are in the prioritized categories, will have access to ESAs starting in the 2026-2027 school year,” he explained, per KHOU11.
SB 2 will now return to the Texas Senate for debate. Senators will either agree with the House’s amendments and approve the bill or send it to a conference committee.
Any potential changes that conference committee made would require one more vote by the Texas House and Senate before it is confirmed.