Summary: As Herman's Hermits use to sing, "Second verse, same as the first." The fourth Special Session of the TX 88th Legislature began just hours after the 3rd Special Session ended; both sessions are focused on SCHOOL CHOICE, with other issues added, like Boarder Security. / WPC will update and repost this blog as new information develops.
Latest Update: 05 December, 2023
Select #Tags for additional articles: #StateLegislation
Image by Dallas Express
Schools, Special Session 4 , 88th TX Legislative Session
Schools, Educational Freedom, (school choice, school vouchers, public school funding, teacher pay raises)
• After school voucher bill falls apart, supporters and opponents get ready for future fights, The Texas Tribune, 04 December 2023
The Texas House’s vote to block education savings accounts disappointed voucher advocates and likely spelled doom for additional public school funding. Both bands say they’ll keep pushing for their priorities during next year’s primary elections and the 2025 legislative session.
• Abbott Stumps for Pro-School Choice Candidate, The Dallas Express, 03 December 2023
Gov. Greg Abbott traveled to Temple to stump for a Texas House candidate on Friday, framing this Republican primary season around one of his top legislative priorities: school choice.
• With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday, The Texas Tribune 02 December 2023
The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges don’t delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending.
Speaker Dade Phelan has told House members that the lower chamber will wrap up its work for the fourth special legislative session on Tuesday — potentially spelling doom for a handful of unfinished bills that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is pushing to pass.
The decision means that, unless the House makes a last-minute maneuver to approve them, time will run out in this session for measures to increase school safety funding, create a new school voucher program and ensure that new property tax cuts and teacher pension raises aren’t delayed by an election challenge.
Tuesday is the second-to-last day lawmakers can meet before the constitutionally required 30-day deadline for a special session. In a memo to members Saturday, Phelan indicated that it was the only day next week that they would meet. And the chamber has given no indication that it would take up any of the major pending bills, instead notifying that it will consider congratulatory and memorial measures.
That means a handful of proposals are in peril. The most notable might be Senate Bill 6, which proposes to adjust the timeline of a trial after a citizen or group files a suit contesting an election result.
• Texas Senate passes its own school safety funding bill, but little time remains to get it across the finish line, The Texas Tribune 01 December 2023
Senate Bill 5 would send an extra $800 million to public schools for security upgrades over the next two years. But the measure is at risk of becoming the latest casualty of the rift between the Texas House and Senate.
• Texas Senate passes school safety expansion, Patrick, Phelan feud escalates,The Center Square, 01 December 2023.
Ahead of the fourth special legislative session ending Dec. 7, the Texas Senate unanimously passed a school safety bill on Friday as conflict between the heads of the Texas legislature escalated.
The Texas Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 5, filed by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, on Friday. The bill allocates an additional $800 million to school safety funding as a Houston area school district averted a potential school shooting Thursday morning.
The bill was filed, considered in a public hearing, reported favorably with no amendments, read, and passed the Senate in one day on Friday. It relates to the school safety allotment under the Foundation School Program, establishes a school safety grant program, and appropriates funds.
• Cruz to Endorse Against School Choice Opponents, Texas Scorecard, 29 November 2023
• Abbott Makes First Endorsement Against Incumbent After School Choice Debacle, Texas Scorecard, 28 November 2023
After vowing to take the battle for school choice “to the ballot box,” Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed his first challenger against a Republican incumbent in this 2024 election cycle.
On Tuesday, Abbott announced his endorsement of pro-family advocate Hillary Hickland against incumbent State Rep. Hugh Shine (R–Belton). Shine was among 21 Republicans who joined Democrats in a vote to kill a school choice proposal in the House.
This probably won't be the last endorsement Abbott makes against those who opposed his top legislative priority.
Although Shine has announced he will seek re-election, he has not yet officially filed for office. The deadline to do so is December 11.
The endorsement represents a switch for Abbott, who endorsed Rogers in 2022. Texas Scorecard, 20 November 2023
WPC Note: Glenn Rogers is the current Texas House Representative for District 60, which includes Willow Park.
Gov. Greg Abbott is continuing his streak of endorsing against incumbent Republicans who helped kill school choice. Yesterday, he endorsed Mike Olcott for the Texas House over incumbent Glenn Rogers (R-Graford).
Rogers narrowly defeated Olcott in 2022. During that election, Abbott endorsed Rogers.
“Mike Olcott is a proven fighter who has spent decades giving his time and talent to advance our shared conservative values,” said Abbott. “Mike is a man of integrity who will help me deliver results in the Texas House.
Rogers has been a close ally of House Speaker Dade Phelan.
• Greg Abbott begins offensive against school voucher opponents, endorsing first House primary challenger The Texas Tribune, 29 November 2023
Abbott on Tuesday backed Hillary Hickland, an activist mother who is running against Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple.,
• Gov. Greg Abbott endorses reelection bids of 58 House members who voted for school vouchers, The Texas Tribune 20 November 2023.
No members who voted against Abbott’s top legislative priority received the governor’s backing.
• TX Politicos Look to Primaries to Advance School Choice, The Dallas Express, 26 November 2023
• School voucher fallout leaves Texas Legislature with no clear sense on next steps, The Texas Tribune, 22 November 2023.
Vouchers were left without a clear path forward after a decisive vote Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott, who had threatened lawmakers with more special sessions to pass the proposal, seems to have turned his attention to punishing voucher opponents in next year’s primary elections.
• Parents Say Texas Needs an Inspector General for Public Education Now, Texas Scorecard, 20 November 2023.
Texas Education 911 says one more victim and one more day is not acceptable. “Protecting children is a mandate.”
• TX House Reps Catch Flak for Anti-School Choice Vote, Dallas Express, 19 November 2023.
"I will continue advancing school choice in the Texas Legislature and at the ballot box, and will maintain the fight for parent empowerment until all parents can choose the best education path for their child,” Abbott said in a statement to the Austin American-Statesman. “I am in it to win it.”
• Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill, The Texas Tribune. 17 November 2023
The amendment filed by Rep. John Raney effectively kills the push for vouchers in the lower chamber. Gov. Greg Abbott has said he would veto the bill if it does not include vouchers, his top legislative priority this year.
• School Choice Removed From House Education Omnibus Bill After Four Special Sessions, The Texan, 17 November 2023.
A majority of the Texas House, including some Republicans, voted for an amendment to remove education savings accounts from the bill.
• Amendments, Primaries Loom in Texas House Floor Fight Over School Choice, The Texan, 17 November 2023.
Pro-school choice Republicans fell 24 votes short on an April test vote during the House's budget night.
• Texas House Votes to Kill School Choice Proposal, Texas Scorecard, 17 November 2023
Republicans and Democrats voted to remove the school choice proposal from a massive education spending bill.
• Texas House Republicans join Democrats to kill school choice, The Center Square 17 November 2023
• School voucher bill to reach Texas House floor Friday for potentially pivotal vote, 17 November 2023.
The lower chamber has traditionally been against school vouchers and the bill still faces a tough road ahead. But in a sign of progress for advocates, this will be the first time such a proposal has reached the full chamber in recent memory.
• Groups sound alarm over House education bill expanding virtual learning, The Center Square 17 November 2023
• “Our public school system is our town”: Why this rural Republican is voting against school vouchers, The Texas Tribune. 17 November 2023.
Despite intense political pressure, Republican Rep. Gary VanDeaver said he won’t support a bill that includes school vouchers. Rural Republicans like VanDeaver have long opposed school vouchers because of the unique role public schools they play in their communities.
• Texas Senate passes four priority bills, including school choice, The Center Square, 11 November 2023.
• Texas Senate passes four priority bills, including school choice, The Center Square, 11 November 2023
• Senate Passes School Choice, School Funding Bills, House Committee Sends Its Version to Floor, The Texan, 10 November
The Senate sped through the passage of its education bills, while the House took hours of public testimony.
• Abbott Says He Will Veto School Bills Without ESAs, Call Additional Special Sessions if Needed, The Texan, 10 November 2023
The House passed its omnibus education bill out of committee Friday, but lacked a quorum on the floor to move forward the legislation.
• Christmas in the Capitol? Abbott Says More Special Sessions if House Kills School Choice, Texas Scorecard, 10 November 2023.
The record for most special sessions called during a legislative session is six.
• Texas Senate Passes Entire Special Session Agenda in Two Days, Texas Scorecard, 10 November 2023.
All eyes are on the Texas House after the Senate moves quickly on Gov. Abbott’s agenda.
• School Texas House committee advances school voucher bill, overcoming key hurdle, The Texas Tribune, 10 November 2023.
The committee action means school voucher legislation is poised to get its first House floor vote in recent history.
• School Choice PAC Backs House Republicans, The Texan, 10 November 2023,
The Super PAC behind the American Federation for Children (AFC) — a pro-school choice group backing education savings account (ESA) legislation to the hilt in Texas — announced an endorsement slate of incumbent Texas House Republicans. The group includes a number of top House lieutenants, members within or adjacent to the speaker’s leadership circle. Those endorsed are…
• The latest school choice bill adds teacher raises. But is it enough to pass in the Texas Legislature?, KERA, 09 November 2023
• Senate fast-tracks passage of vouchers and border security legislation, The Texas Tribune, 09 November 2023
The Senate revved to life Thursday, holding committee hearings with little advance notice and advancing four bills that satisfy Abbott’s agenda.
• School voucher critics remain largely unswayed during Texas House hearing, The Texas Tribune, 09 November 2023,
House Bill 1, which stagnated during the previous special session, finally received a hearing in the lower chamber, a crucial step that will decide whether the proposal gets a full vote.
• How Texas Got Here: School Choice Leading Up to the Fourth Special Session, The Texan, 09 November 2023. Excerpts.
School choice legislation has seen contentious debate over the last year, culminating in another special session to address the issue.
With a fourth special session of the Texas Legislature called by the governor the same day the third ended, passing a school choice bill continues to weigh heavily on many lawmakers' minds after more than a year of contention over the issue.
Coming into the regular legislative session earlier this year, Gov. Greg Abbott made passing school choice one of his main objectives. In January 2022, he said that in the “upcoming session, you’re going to see a stronger, swifter, more powerful movement advocating school choice than you’ve ever seen in the history of the State of Texas.”
• Abbott Calls Fourth Special Session on School Choice, Border Security, Texas Scorecard, 07 November 2023.
The Texas governor says there is more work to be done.
As the third special session of the Texas Legislature came to an end yesterday, Gov. Greg Abbott immediately called lawmakers into a fourth last night. ...the agenda is strikingly familiar [to the third special session].
The governor wants lawmakers to work on school choice and border security. Both issues are widely popular with voters and taxpayers in Texas, but lawmakers have had trouble getting substantive measures to the
• House Unveils Latest School Choice Plan Texas, Texas Scorecard, 07 November 2023. Excerpts.
A new "school choice" plan has been put forward by the Texas House that includes a limited education savings account program, teacher bonuses and pay raises, and additional funding for school districts. Emily Medeiros has the details.
Under the plan authored by Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Saledo), any child will be able to apply for an ESA of approximately $10,500. A child who is homeschooled will qualify for $1,000.
The program will be limited by funds allocated by the legislature every two years. ESAs will be awarded based on family income levels.
Students who accept an ESA will be required to take a state assessment test or a national norm-reference test. Those who do not perform satisfactorily on the assessment two years in a row will be disqualified from the program.
The plan also includes teacher pay raises. In year one, full-time teachers, nurses, counselors, and librarians will get a $4,000 bonus, while part-time employees will receive $2,000. In year two, the pay increases will be set by local districts using an increase in the state's basic funding allotment.
• Schools. Special Session 3, 88th TX Legislative Session, posted 09 October 2023
• Only 2 Measures Reach Governor’s Desk in Third Special Session, Texas Scorecard, 06 November 22023. Excerpt. As the third special legislative session comes to an end today, lawmakers have sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. / One measure bans COVID-19 vaccine requirements in most settings. The other increases penalties for human smuggling and operating a stash house. / The rest of the agenda stalled out, including creating a state-level offense for illegal entry from a foreign country and addressing housing areas—like Colony Ridge—that seem to serve as magnets for illegal aliens. / Most notably, the Texas House has again thwarted Abbott's desire for a school choice program.
• Willow Park Civics Blog > Schools, Students, and Education, 88th TX Legislative Session including School Choice during the regular 88th Legislative Session
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