The Texas House’s passage of Senate Bill 2 marked a new chapter as the long-awaited, Republican-backed education savings accounts (ESA) bill finally passed in the lower chamber.
After hours-long debate that extended early into the next morning, the House approved the governor’s heralded school choice bill by a 86 to 63 mostly-partisan vote.
Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) touts the body’s priority education funding bill at a press conference. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Rep. Brad Buckley (Brad Johnson/The Texan)
State Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) in attendance at the HB 2 press conference with Speaker Dustin Burrows. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Anti-ESA protest in the Capitol rotunda. (Brad Johnson/The Texan)
An anti-SB 2 protester dresses as Santa Claus. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Texas House Democrats rally a crowd in opposition to SB 2. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
An anti-ESA protester in the Capitol rotunda. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
A protester watches from the Capitol rotunda’s second floor. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
State Rep. John Bucy (D-Austin) speaks to the gathering of anti-SB 2 protesters. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Public School/Anti ESA Protest (Brad Johnson/The Texan)
Rep. Brad Buckley flanked by supportive members. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Democratic Reps. James Talarico, Charlene Ward Johnson, LuLu Flores, Gene Wu, Jolanda Jones, Ron Reynolds, and Mihaela Plesa (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
State Rep. Rafael Anchía (D-Dallas) questions Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Salado) from the back microphone. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
State Rep. Vince Perez (D-El Paso) encourages state Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) ahead of his speech supporting the referendum amendment on SB 2. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) speaks with state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) at the dais. (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Reps. Stan Gerdes, Brooks Landgraf, Will Metcalf, and Briscoe Cain (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Reps. Terry Wilson, Jared Patterson, Cole Hefner, and Philip Cortez (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Rep. Richard Hayes (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Rep. Marc LaHood (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Rep. Charles Cunningham (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
Rep. Suleman Lalani (The Texan/Brad Johnson)
