Reactions after Texas House passes education savings accounts program

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Shortly after 2:00 a.m. Thursday, the Texas House voted to approve its version of Senate Bill 2, otherwise known as the education savings accounts program.

SB2 allows families to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private school tuition. 

Read statements regarding the vote below, including ones provided by Texas officials, President Donald Trump and labor unions.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott

“For the first time in Texas history, our state has passed a universal school choice bill out of both chambers in the Texas Legislature. This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children. Texas could not have accomplished this without the hard work and unwavering support from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Chairman Brandon Creighton, and Chairman Brad Buckley. I applaud the legislators who took a stand with the overwhelming majority of Texans who support school choice. When it reaches my desk, I will swiftly sign this bill into law, creating the largest day-one school choice program in the nation and putting Texas on a pathway to becoming the best state in America for educating our kids.”  

President Donald Trump

Congratulations to my friends, Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dustin Burrows, along with Texas Legislators, for finally passing SCHOOL CHOICE, which I strongly endorsed - this is a gigantic Victory for students and parents in the Great State of Texas! We will very soon be sending Education BACK TO ALL THE STATES, where it belongs. It is our goal to bring Education in the United States to the highest level, one that it has never attained before. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Texas American Federation of Teachers (Texas AFT)

“The fight isn’t over yet, but it’s a damn sad day for educators, their students, and the millions across our state who love our public schools. For years and years, the Legislature has said no to craven attempts to sell off our schools to the highest bidder because lawmakers on both sides of the aisle historically understood the importance of free, high-quality public education for every Texas student. It’s hard to stomach that one phone call from Donald Trump is enough to change that,” said Zeph Capo, president of Texas AFT. “Republican leaders are poised to put the nail in the coffin of our public schools, and you’ve never seen such gleeful pallbearers. To deny the voters–their own constituents–a say in what happens in their communities and to their schools is unconscionable.”

Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows

“Today marks a historic chapter for education in our state, with the Texas House passing its landmark ‘Texas Two Step’ proposals to deliver more education opportunities for students alongside the largest-ever increase in public school funding. House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 2 work together to meaningfully improve the overall education ecosystem in Texas, with the latter empowering parents of students with unique learning needs to access educational resources that might otherwise be unaffordable or inaccessible. I appreciate the hard work of Chairman Buckley to ensure every Texas student has access to a better education and thank my colleagues for their thoughtful debate and dedication to strengthening Texas’ future today.”

Former House Speaker Dade Phelan 

"Today, I voted against Senate Bill 2, the school choice proposal considered on the House Floor.

I want to thank Chairman Brad Buckley and the members of the House Public Education Committee for their hard work and dedication in vetting this important legislation. Their commitment to the legislative process and to Texas students is appreciated.

Ultimately, my vote was about listening to the people of House District 21. Time and again, my constituents have expressed their strong support for our public schools and concerns about diverting state resources away from them. I heard you—and I voted my district.

In addition, the unknown short-term and long-term financial impact this legislation could have on the state budget and public education funding was a significant factor in my decision.

Supporting our children, local schools and educators remains one of my top priorities, and I’ll continue working to strengthen education for all students across Texas."

Americans for Prosperity-Texas (AFP-TX) state director Genevieve Collins

"Today is a historic day for Texas, and a new Independence Day for families who will now have the freedom to give their children the best education that our state has to offer. Education Freedom is BIGGER in Texas and this legislation is the largest school choice program in the country. AFP-TX is deeply grateful to Governor Abbott, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, Chairman Brad Buckley, Senator Ted Cruz, and President Donald Trump for their unwavering commitment to education freedom. This transformational legislation will make Texas the envy of the nation for education freedom and prove once and for all that putting students over systems delivers the best outcomes for students. We hope to see this landmark victory inspire parents, lawmakers, and educators across the nation to continue the fight for universal school choice in their states. History will not look kindly on the lawmakers, union bosses and bureaucrats who held our students back for so long. The people have spoken."