A voucher bill, Senate Bill 2, has passed through the Texas House Public Education Committee and is now eligible to be heard on the House floor.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2025
CONTACT: Emily Witt (she/her), emily@tfn.org
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas House Public Education Committee today voted to advance Senate Bill 2, legislation that would establish a school voucher program and redirect state funds to help pay for private and religious school tuition.
The vote follows a public hearing held on March 11 that lasted nearly 24 hours on another voucher bill, House Bill 3, which was left pending in committee. During that hearing, hundreds of Texans provided testimony on vouchers, with the majority of speakers opposing the measure.
Texas Freedom Network Political Director Rocío Fierro-Pérez (she/her) issued the following response:
“This vote shows how out of touch lawmakers are with the people they were elected to serve. Thousands of Texans — parents, teachers, students, rural leaders, and public education advocates — have made it clear: they do not want a school voucher scam that strips desperately needed funding from their neighborhood public schools. But once again, Governor Abbott and his allies are putting political ambition ahead of what’s best for Texas kids.
“Vouchers don’t solve the real issues facing Texas schools, they make them worse. Instead of investing in solutions, this bill funnels taxpayer dollars to private schools that can discriminate based on disability, religion, income, and identity. We will not stop fighting for a Texas where every child, regardless of zip code, income, or identity, has access to a quality public education. Texans are watching. We won’t forget who protected our schools and who sold them out.”
The full Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2 in February.
Senate Bill 2 is now eligible to move to the full Texas House for debate and a vote. If passed by the full House, the bill will go to Governor Abbott’s desk for final consideration.
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The Texas Freedom Network (tfn.org) is a grassroots organization of religious and community leaders and young Texans building an informed and effective movement for equality and social justice.
