Education Savings Accounts in TX 2017 Session 85(R)
Passing an Education Savings Account program in this
legislative session in Texas should have been easy if the elected officials reflected
the majority opinion of voters and their party platforms. Instead the
session will finish with a big fat zero on education choice, or as they say in school, they get an F. To be fair there are legislators who get an A for effort.
It should have been an easy A
Education Choice in Texas is supported by the
majority of voters and crosses political party boundaries. Texans for Education Opportunity released a
statement on the defeat yesterday saying in part, “By killing this legislation
today, certain lawmakers in the Texas House have deliberately
ignored the will of a vast majority of Texans who support school choice.” Education Choice is one of the principles of
the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) according to its current platform. It
was identified as a priority at the beginning of the session by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/wp-content/uploads/docs/2017_Top_Legislative_Priorities.pdf)
and by the RPT Legislative Committee. With Republicans in control of the House,
Senate, and Governorship passing a bill to create Education Savings Accounts (ESA)
should have been easy.
What happened?
The Senate version of the bill (SB 3) introduced by Senator
Larry Taylor created a general ESA program.
The House version of the bill (HB 1335) authored by Representatives
Simmons, Isaac, and Villalba limited the ESA program to special needs children. The Senate passed its version of the bill
under the leadership of Lt. Governor Patrick.
ESAs were, however, thwarted in the House first by the Public Education
Committee headed by Republican Representative Dan Huberty. Rep. Huberty in an interview at the beginning
of the session declared ESAs “DOA” (dead on arrival) in the House, and as he
promised, his committee did not take up the bill and left it pending. In an effort to save ESAs for special needs
children, the Senate amended HB 21 to include the language from the house
bill. The House was forced to vote the
amendment up or down, and as promised the House members effectively killed ESAs
by rejecting the amendment. At least we
have the votes on record. The Republican
House members who voted against the program are listed below. Those members failed to support their party platform and a majority of voters, instead following the pressures of Public Education lobbyists and special interest groups.
Summary of Education
Savings Accounts (ESA) bills and votes:
·
Bill HB 1335 ESAs for special needs children
o
Authors: Simmons, Isaac, Villalba
o
Co-authors: Cain, Dale, Fallon, Frank, Sanford, Shaheen,
Workman
o
Public Education Committee held a hearing but
left the bill pending, never voted
·
Bill SB 3 ESAs and tax credit scholarships
o
Author:
Taylor, L.
o
Co-authors: Bettencourt, Campbell, Hall,
Hancock, Huffines, Schwertner, Taylor, V.
o
Passed Senate 18 – 13
§
FOR: Bettencourt, Birdwell,
Buckingham, Burton, Campbell, Creighton, Estes, Hall, Hancock, Huffines,
Hughes, Kolkhorst, Lucio, Nelson, Perry, Schwertner, Taylor of Galveston,
Taylor of Collin.
o
Bill received by House Public
Education Committee 4/3/17, no vote taken
·
Senate amended HB 1335 onto HB 21
o
House rejected the amendment: 47 for amendment,
89 against
The following Republican House members voted against the ESA
for special needs children amendment:
Ashby
Bailes
Bell
Bonnen
Burns
Burrows
Cook
Cosper
Cyrier
Darby
Flynn
Frullo
Geren
Gooden
(Public Education Committee member)
Holland
Huberty
(Public Education Committee Chair)
Kacal
King, K.
(Public Education Committee member)
Kuempel
Lambert
Lozano
Miller
Murphy
Murr
Paddie
Phelan
Phillips
Price
Raney
Roberts
Schubert
Shine
Smithee
Springer
Stephenson
Stucky
VanDeaver
(Public Education Committee member)
Wray
Zerwas
Republicans
that did not vote:
Keough
(present, Speaker)
Anderson
Burkett
Hunter
King, T.
Koop (Public
Education Committee member)
Oliverson
Sheffield
Zedler
