Special Session: Progress made on school choice plan

Progress made on school choice plan

With several of the governor's priorities still in the works, the fourth Special Session began Tuesday evening shortly after the end of the third. Progress was made Friday on a school choice plan.

AUSTIN, Texas - With several of the governor's priorities still in the works, the fourth Special Session began Tuesday evening, shortly after the end of the third.

On Friday morning, progress was made on a school choice plan, when the Texas House Select Committee approved House Bill 1 in a 10-4 vote, bringing it one step closer to the floor.

It includes provisions for several school funding measures, including an education savings account and teacher pay.

At the signing for SB 7 on Friday, Gov. Abbott expressed his optimism with this step forward.

"This is a comprehensive piece of legislation that is, I think, an outstanding piece of legislation," Gov. Abbott said. "We know how the process works, we expect it to obviously go to the floor, and once the house passes it out, we'll see what the Senate does to it, they'll come together somewhere in the middle I assume."

He added that, while he expects the two chambers to come to an agreement, if they do not, he intends to keep the legislation around until something gets done.