A Historic Day for Texas and America: Senate Bill 2, School Choice, Finally Passes!
Over the last six sessions as Lt. Governor, the Senate passed school choice six times, only to see it die in the House each time. Today, thanks to so many people, history was made, and Senate Bill 2, school choice, finally passed the Texas House. SB 2 will give parents the right they have always deserved to choose the best education for their child. The bill prioritizes students with disabilities, and students from low-to-middle income families, students in failing schools, and is universal for all families to apply.
We have many great public schools in Texas, but we also have many that are just average, and some that are failing their students. This session, the Senate also passed the most public education funding in history. Texas teachers, who averaged a $54,000/year salary in 2019, will average nearly $69,000 after this legislative session.
My goal is clear: I want school choice for parents and the best public school system in America. Competition is key to both goals.
I thank Gov. Greg Abbott, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Senate Education Chair Brandon Creighton, House Chair Brad Buckley, and my great education team of Marian Wallace and Chris Duke.
Most importantly, I thank President Trump, who helped us defeat anti-school-choice Republican members last year, and for making school choice one of his major policy initiatives this year. President Trump went as far as to call Texas House members yesterday to rally the vote. 86 of 88 Republican members voted yes. This is a historic day for Texas and America.
Texas Senate Firing on All Cylinders
Over the last two weeks, the Texas Senate did not take its foot off the gas pedal, passing over 250 bills to the Texas House, including almost all of our top 40 priority bills. We passed a giant business tax cut, established a homeland security division within the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), passed legislation stopping squatters from taking advantage of Texas property owners, a bill to limit ridiculous and outrageous settlements for trial lawyers that drive up the cost for every Texan and passed other major legislation. The Senate is firing on all cylinders, and we will not be stopping anytime soon.
These priority bills have passed so far:
Senate Bill 1 – Senate’s Budget for Texas
Senate Bill 2 – Providing School Choice
Senate Bill 3 – Banning THC in Texas
Senate Bill 4 – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for Seniors)
Senate Bill 5 – Combatting Dementia and Alzheimer’s – Establishing DPRIT (Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas)
Senate Bill 6 – Increasing Texas’ Electric Grid Reliability
Senate Bill 7 – Increasing Investments in Texas’ Water Supply
Senate Bill 8 – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist the Federal Government’s Deportation Efforts
Senate Bill 9 – Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets
Senate Bill 10 – Placing the Ten Commandments in Schools
Senate Bill 11 – Protecting the Freedom to Pray in Schools
Senate Bill 12 – Establishing a Parental Bill of Rights
Senate Bill 13 – Guarding Against Inappropriate Books in Public Schools
Senate Bill 14 – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency
Senate Bill 15 – Removing Barriers to Housing Affordability
Senate Bill 16 – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting
Senate Bill 17 – Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs
Senate Bill 18 – Banning Drag Time Story Hour
Senate Bill 19 – Stopping Taxpayer Dollars for Lobbyists
Senate Bill 20 – Stopping AI-Generated Child Pornography
Senate Bill 21 – Establishing the Texas Bitcoin Reserve
Senate Bill 22 – Generating Significant Returns for the Texas Economy *
Senate Bill 24 – Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism
Senate Bill 25 – Making Texas Healthy Again
Senate Bill 26 – Increasing Teacher Pay
Senate Bill 27 – Establishing a Teacher Bill of Rights
Senate Bill 28 – Banning Lottery Couriers
Senate Bill 29 – Texas: Open for Business
Senate Bill 30 – Curbing Nuclear Verdicts *
Senate Bill 32 – Business Tax Relief
Senate Bill 33 – Stopping Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Travel *
Senate Bill 34 – Wildfire Response *
Senate Bill 35 – Competing for Quality Roads
Senate Bill 36 – Establishing a Homeland Security Division within DPS
Senate Bill 37 – Reforming Faculty Senates *
Senate Bill 38 – Stopping Squatters
Senate Bill 40 – Bail Reform
Bills marked with an asterisk (*) were passed this week.
Click here to view my top 40 priority bills.
Yippie Ki Yay! Adios! Sayonara! Auf Wiedersehen! Au Revoir!
In 2021, the faculty senate at the University of Texas at Austin arrogantly stated that they were not accountable to the Texas Legislature or UT Board of Regents. They passed a resolution stating they were going to teach Critical Race Theory to UT students no matter what the legislature or taxpayers thought.
I replied at the time: “I will not stand by and let looney Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students with Critical Race Theory. We banned it in publicly funded K-12 and we will ban it in publicly funded higher ed.”
Last night, with final passage of Senate Bill 37, the faculty senate at the University of Texas at Austin had their power stripped and found out the Legislature does have authority over faculty senates after all!
Here’s an idea for them to consider: these looney Marxist UT professors should find a friendly blue state to move to so we can fill their roles with quality conservative professors who will teach critical thinking.
Yippie Ki Yay! Adios! Sayonara! Auf Wiedersehen! Au Revoir! In every language you can possibly think of: Goodbye!
A Win for Rural Texans: Dallas-to-Houston Bullet Train Dream Comes to a Full Stop
In a win for rural Texas, the Bullet Train project has been scrapped. For as long as I can remember, the Bullet Train from Dallas to Houston has been a dream to many and a nightmare to others, as it chugged along year after year through many stages, investors, and planners.
Rural counties along the proposed route fought the train each step of the way. After all this time, it looks like the train has been derailed once and for all. Click here to read the story.
President Trump Elevates Easter with the Observance It Deserves
Thank you, President Trump, for the White House’s focus on this important week for the millions and millions of Christians in America and around the world. Click here to read more.
He Is Risen, Indeed!
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and peaceful Easter weekend. May we all take comfort in the miracle of the Resurrection and the unshakable hope it brings. He is risen, indeed!
Thank you for all your support over the years and for everything you do to keep Texas red. May God bless you and your family, and may He continue to bless the greatest state of all—Texas.
Sincerely,
Dan Patrick
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
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"Whomever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant."
Matthew 20:26 (NLT)
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