Pick up the phone today to stop vouchers! A new version of the House voucher bill adds a discriminatory feature to this multi-billion-dollar scam.
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Voucher Bill Gets Worse: Call Your Rep Now!
The voucher bill could get a committee vote tomorrow!
Senate Bill 2, the Senate version of a voucher bill, will be heard in a formal meeting of the House Public Education Committee at 8:00 am on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. This is not a public hearing, but a meeting where representatives of the committee will vote to pass or not pass the bill forward to the House floor where it goes for its final vote.
This voucher bill would take away billions of dollars from public education over the next few years in Texas. And this bad bill just got worse!
The latest version of the bill explicitly discriminates against children based on their immigration status by excluding them from the voucher program. Public schools serve all students, regardless of what they look like, where they come from or how much money their families earn.
This is a misguided, illegal attempt from the state to restrict students and families from receiving a high quality education. Taxpayer money should not be used to discriminate against any student.
Vouchers are and have always been an unfair scheme that would create a dual system of education – separate and unequal.
Action
Call the House Public Education committee today and tomorrow before the bill gets voted out of committee. Tell the committee that Texas public school money should stay in public schools and never pay for discrimination against children.
Call Script: Hello, my name is (say your name) and I live in (name the part of town you live in). I am calling today to ask the Representative to vote no on Senate Bill 2. Vouchers limit opportunity for all students and the most recent version discriminates against immigrant students and their families. I urge you to vote no and instead fund our public schools. Don’t give voucher coupons to the wealthiest few.
Action Alert! Call the House Public Education Committee
Action: Advocates should call the House Public Education committee before the bill gets voted out of committee. Find their office numbers below!
House Public Education Committee Members
- Rep. James Talarico – (512) 463-0821
- Chairman Rep. Brad Buckley – (512) 463-0684
- Vice Chair Rep. Diego Bernal – (512) 463-0532
- Rep. Alma Allen – (512) 463-0744
- Rep. Trent Ashby – (512) 463-0508
- Rep. John Bryant – (512) 463-0576
- Rep. Charles Cunningham – (512) 463-0520
- Rep. Harold Dutton – (512) 463-0510
- Rep. James Frank – (512) 463-0534
- Rep. Gina Hinojosa – (512) 463-0668
- Rep. Todd Hunter – (512) 463-0672
- Rep. Helen Kerwin – (512) 463-0538
- Rep. Jeff Leach – (512) 463-0544
- Rep. Terri Leo Wilson – (512) 463-0502
- Rep. Alan Schoolcraft – (512) 463-0602
Coming Up: Week of March 31, 2025
Texas House: Tuesday
- House Public Education Committee
- 8:00 a.m. (See notice)
- House Higher Education Committee
- 9:00 a.m. (See notice)
- Watch hearings live
- Watch past hearings
Texas Senate: Tuesday
- Senate Education K-16 Committee
- 9:00 a.m. (See notice)
- Watch hearings live
- Watch past hearings
Tools & Resources
Learn more about IDRA’s policy recommendations for Texas
See our Infographic: 5 Data Snacks on IDRA’s Policy Priorities
The Big Cost of Proposed Voucher Legislation, Data Map
How to Testify before the Texas Legislature, Infographic
Get more advocacy tips and videos on IDRA’s SEEN website.
Welcoming Immigrant Students, Infographic
IDRA Voucher Comment Portal – Voice your concerns on the voucher bill.
