Southern Methodist University Professor of Political Science Dr. Cal Jillson | Southern Methodist University Faculty Experts
Southern Methodist University Professor of Political Science Dr. Cal Jillson | Southern Methodist University Faculty Experts
Whether a special session on school vouchers is necessary remains to be seen as the ongoing 88th session of the Texas Legislature moves toward its slated conclusion.
Per a report from Temple NBC affiliate KCEN, one political science professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU) said the session is unique in that both the governor and the lieutenant governor adamantly support school choice, but it appears the Texas House of Representatives itself isn’t on board.
“Unless they can bring the speaker of the House along and the speaker can bring his colleagues, they're still not going to get the job done," Dr. Cal Jillson told KCEN.
Gov. Greg Abbott made his disapproval of the lower chamber’s version of Senate Bill (SB) 8 known, which online legislation database LegiScan showed was “left pending in committee” as of Monday.
“The latest House version of school choice, which came out this weekend, only applies to about 800,000 students,” Abbott, a Republican, said in a press release issued by the Office of the Texas Governor. “It also provides less funding for special education students than the original House version of the Senate bill and denies school choice to low-income families that may desperately need expanded education options for their children.”
“This latest version does little to provide meaningful school choice, and legislators deserve to know that it would be vetoed if it reached my desk,” he added.
The governor hopes that this is the session in which school choice becomes a reality.
Jillson said while it’s not unusual for governors to call special sessions, KCEN reported, he stated it may not be the best move for Abbott at this juncture.
"That may not work with the governor because session after session there hasn't been enough support among Democrats or rural Republicans to pass a school voucher bill and there's not enough support in the House this session," the professor said in the report.
According to Houston’s lone major publication, the Texas Legislative Public Education Committee left the legislation waiting for a vote on Thursday.
House committees have until Saturday to approve any bills that come from the upper chamber.
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