On Thursday, the Texas House and Senate took opposing stances on voucher bills, offering a glimpse at the drama that awaits during the remaining weeks of the regular session. The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE), the state’s largest educator association, thanks the lawmakers in both chambers who stood up for the Legislature’s constitutional duty to support and maintain public schools.
 
In the House, the vote to attach an anti-voucher amendment by Rep. Abel Herrero (D–Corpus Christi) to House Bill (HB) 1, the appropriations, bill passed 86-52, with 11 “present not voting.”
 
“We are grateful to those representatives who listened to the thousands of educators who contacted them this week to explain how allowing taxpayer dollars to be spent without accountability will hurt Texas children,” ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes said. “We know they are facing enormous political pressure to vote the other way.”
 
The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill (SB 8) by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) on an 18-13 vote. Among other “parental rights” provisions, SB 8 contains an “Education Savings Account” voucher.
 
“We are also thankful for the 13 senators who voted with the families and educators who have proudly chosen Texas public schools,” Holmes said. “This battle is far from over, but today’s results in the House show what we have long known: Texas public schools are the backbones of our communities, whether urban, suburban or rural, and we have lawmakers with the backbones to protect those public schools.”