The Latest Breaking News from Brad Buckley

Abbott Fails on Vouchers. Again.

The governor has dug in, calling for a fourth special legislative session.

Texas Observer · Nov 3, 2023

Abbott touts school voucher deal with House leaders, but others reluctant to say if bill will pass

A deal between the governor and House would be a breakthrough after months of talks. But whether they actually have a deal is unclear.

The Texas Tribune · Oct 31, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott, House at impasse over school voucher bill as special session winds down

Vouchers are the governor’s top legislative priority. But he has signaled opposition to a proposed House compromise that would tie them to increased funding for public schools.

The Texas Tribune · Oct 25, 2023

Time runs out for taxpayer-funded private school tuition bill as special session looms

Gov. Greg Abbott has already signaled he would call a special session if lawmakers failed to pass a voucher-like program open to all students.

The Texas Tribune · May 20, 2023

School voucher bill hangs by a thread as key deadline approaches

The House public education committee chair said Wednesday he currently has no plans to bring the bill for a vote. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to call a special session if the House doesn’t “expand the scope of school choice.”

The Texas Tribune · May 17, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to veto pared-down school choice bill, warns of special sessions

Abbott says if a school voucher bill isn’t expanded to include more students, a special legislative session will be the result.

The Texas Tribune · May 15, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott is turning up the pressure on passing school choice. Will it pay off?

Passage of a school choice measure is anything but a sure bet, as there is little evidence that the governor has been able to convince rural Republicans in the Texas House — who have for years been a reliable firewall — to drop their opposition.

The Texas Tribune · Apr 4, 2023

What you need to know about education savings accounts, the voucher-like program championed by Gov. Greg Abbott

Texas is the latest state to pitch a version of the program, which lets parents who opt out of their local school districts use tax dollars to pay for private schooling.

The Texas Tribune · Feb 22, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott promises to be “heavily involved” in push for education savings accounts

In an interview with the Tribune, the governor also backed criminalizing some health care treatments for transgender kids and shrugged off the idea that he’s in a conservative policy rivalry with Ron DeSantis.

The Texas Tribune · Feb 21, 2023