Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday that school choice will be his top priority when the state Senate convenes in January.

Patrick said that after the Senate introduces the state budget as Senate Bill 1, they will turn their attention to the school choice issue.

“To emphasize the importance, Senate Bill 2 will be the Senate’s school choice legislation,” Patrick said. “Thirty-two states, both Republican and Democratic, have enacted some form of school choice legislation. There is absolutely no reason why the children and parents of Texas should be left behind.”

Abbott said school choice is also one of his priorities.

The the governor held a news conference in Tyler the day after the election, where he discussed the future of school choice after every election candidate he endorsed to support school choice won the election.

The change in the state house came after rural Republicans joined with Democrats during the last legislative session to block the passage of Abbott’s plan.

“Since 2015, the Senate has passed school choice five times,” Patrick said. “He died every time in a Republican-controlled House. This is unacceptable and inexcusable. With an extended Republican majority in the Texas House, there is no reason why Texas students should be left behind. Parents must be able to make the best decisions for their children so that they can receive the education that suits their unique needs.”

Patrick argues that the current system cannot meet the needs of every student.

“A lot of schools in Texas strive to be great and they are great, and most of them are good,” Patrick said. “Unfortunately, no matter how hard they try, some schools struggle to meet the unique educational needs that some students have. Parents should be empowered to place their child in the best learning environment, whether it’s a public or private school.”

Those who oppose using taxpayer money to allow some parents to send their children to private and religious schools fear that the program will divert money from public schools by decreasing public school enrollment or the long-term impact on employment by state of more funding for the program.

“Texas can do school choice without undermining the public school system,” Patrick said. “In 2023 (last session), the legislature appropriated $39 billion per year for public education. Last session, the school choice bill that the Senate passed three times was $500 million. He died in the Chamber every time. School choice funding completely separated from public education funding would have provided 60,000 of the 5.5 million public school students.

Rural Republicans who joined with Democrats to kill the program during the last session argued that they have few private schools that would allow parents in their districts to take advantage of the program.

These The Republican voices are now gone after Governor Abbott actively campaigned against them during the primary season.

“Texans across the political spectrum agree that parents must have options to choose the school that best fits their child’s needs to ensure their success,” Patrick said. “Voters spoke clearly during the primary and general elections; the time for school choice in Texas is long overdue.”

Patrick went on to say he hopes Gov. Greg Abbott will make the bill an “emergency item” for the session and allow state lawmakers to pass the bill sooner.

Under the Texas Constitution, lawmakers are only allowed to introduce bills during the first 60 days of a session, unless an emergency is declared by the governor.

Bills filed early in the session typically don’t get a hearing until March, when they go to committees that determine whether they are heard by the full House. Bills in plenary are considered to have passed the first reading.

MPs can suggest and vote on amendments during the second reading of the bill.

“If Governor Abbott makes school choice an emergency, the Senate will take up school choice in the first few weeks of the session instead of having to wait 60 days until March,” Patrick said.

The next legislative session begins on January 14, 2025.