A statement from District 1 State Representative Gary VanDeaver: On Wednesday, State Representative Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) was involved in the hours-long debate and discussion by the Texas House of Representatives on Education Savings Account (ESA; school voucher) legislation, Senate Bill 2. Early this morning about 2 a.m., the House voted 85 – 63 to approve Senate Bill 2 on second reading. The bill passed the House on 3rd reading today on an 86 – 61 vote. Senate Bill 2 will go back to the Texas Senate and a 10-member conference committee will work out the differences between the two versions of SB 2 before a final vote is taken later this session before adjourning on June 2.
Rep. VanDeaver has consistently raised concerns about the financial impact an ESC/school voucher program will have on our state’s smaller, rural school districts and the educational opportunities available to their students. VanDeaver said: “Student success equals state success.”
The state currently has a significant budget surplus, and the House version of SB 2 sets aside $1 billion for the first two years of the ESA program. The House has also adopted House Bill 2 that dramatically increases funding for our public schools to help them offset the years of inflation and other funding challenges. Funding for our public schools had not increased since 2019, so our schools were falling further behind. House Bill 2 adds $7.7 billion in additional funding and raises the Basic Allotment.
