SENATE REJECTS VOUCHERS IN TEA REAUTHORIZATION BILL

TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK PRESS RELEASE:
SENATE REJECTS VOUCHERS IN TEA REAUTHORIZATION BILL

Senate Passes Bill after Sponsor Pledges to Reject Any Efforts by House to
Add Vouchers
May 5, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Dan Quinn, 512-322-0545, 512-799-3379 (cell)

AUSTIN – The president of the Texas Freedom Network today commended state
senators for closing the door on any voucher amendments to a bill
reauthorizing the Texas Education Agency (TEA). "Senators today took a
strong stand for neighborhood public schools and against reckless schemes
like private school vouchers," TFN President Kathy Miller said. "Vouchers
are so controversial that lobbyists hope to sneak a voucher amendment in
through a back door. Senators today firmly closed one
such door."

Senators voted to pass Senate Bill 422, which authorizes TEA to continue
operations, a requirement under existing "sunset" rules. Responding to
direct questions from three other senators (Royce West, D-Dallas; Leticia
Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Rodney Ellis, D-Houston) before the final
vote, the sponsor of SB 422, Sen. Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, pledged that he
would not concur on any House TEA reauthorization legislation that includes
vouchers.

Vouchers are tax dollars used to pay for tuition at private and religious
schools. The Legislature has rejected attempts to pass a voucher scheme in
every session since 1995. Last week, however, the House Public Education
Committee passed H.B. 1263, which would drain more than $600 million from
public schools over the next two years to pay for voucher programs in the
state’s largest counties. That bill has not yet been considered by the full
House.