Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas announced a fourth special session Tuesday after lawmakers failed to pass school choice legislation, according to a press release.
The governor first called a special session in July and a second in August; however, the deadline for the latest session ended on Tuesday without any progress on many of the governor’s priorities such as border security and school vouchers for parents who want to their tax dollars to follow their child, according to the press release. Abbott noted that while the legislature had made progress on laws against COVID-19 mandates and human smuggling, more work was still needed.
“[T]here is more work to be done,” Abbott said. “I am immediately calling lawmakers back for Special Session #4 to complete their critical work to empower Texas parents to choose the best education pathway for their child while providing billions more in funding for Texas public schools and continuing to boost safety measures in schools.
The school choice legislation would establish an education savings account for parents if they want to use state funding to send their child to a different school, including private schools, according to the press release. The governor is also hoping to pass bills that focus on health care for public school employees, special education, reading standards for schools and online education.
The legislature is also expected to weigh bills relating to school safety and other state funding, according to the press release. Progress has been delayed by GOP infighting between the state’s Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, as well as concerns about state funding being used for religious and private instruction, according to The Texas Tribune.
“I look forward to working with members of the Texas Legislature to better secure Texas and pass school choice for all Texas families,” Abbott concluded, according to the press release.
Oklahoma and North Carolina recently passed legislation to give parents more options when it comes to their child’s schooling. A new poll in October found that school choice was supported by a bipartisan majority of voters with Democrats at 88% and Republicans at 83%.
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