FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2023
CONTACT: Emily Witt, [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas — HB 100, which would’ve created a voucher program to give parents who opt out of the public school system up to $8,000 in taxpayer money per student each year, died after failing to meet crucial deadlines and therefore failed to become completed legislation.
HB 100 was originally a bill meant to increase school funding and teacher salaries, but voucher language was added to the legislation at a later point in the session.
Texas Freedom Network Executive Director Val Benavidez (she/her) issued the following response:
“It’s appalling that Dan Patrick’s Senate majority was so hellbent on defunding public education that they held resources for our kids’ neighborhood schools and teacher pay raises hostage in a desperate effort to pass a voucher scheme. Even worse would be Gov. Abbott forcing the Legislature back into a special session to try once again to divert taxpayer dollars from public education to unaccountable private and religious schools.
“If some lawmakers won’t take no for an answer at the Capitol, voters must sweep them out. We can send a clear message at the ballot box that Texans want their tax dollars to stay in public schools that offer an honest, accurate education to every child in our state, no matter the color of their skin, the zip code they live in, or the financial resources available to their families.”
