Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick names private school vouchers as his top legislative priority

(The Texas Tribune) – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday declared private school voucher legislation his number one issue for the legislative session beginning in January and called on Gov. Greg Abbott to declare it an emergency item.“School choice is my top policy priority,” Patrick said in a statement. “Thirty-two states, both Republican and Democrat, have enacted some form of school choice legislation. There is absolutely no reason why Texas children and parents should be left behind.”Related Stories Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate and exerts considerable influence over the legislative process, has reserved Senate Bill 2 for the yet-to-be-authored proposal, emphasizing the importance he’s placing on the measure. Senate Bill 1, he said, will be the state budget, the only bill the Legislature is legally required to pass every session.“Texans across the political spectrum agree that parents must have options to choose the school that best fits the needs of their child to ensure their success,” Patrick added. “Voters have spoken clearly during the primary and general elections; the time for school choice in Texas is long overdue.”School choice is a term frequently used to describe school vouchers, programs that use taxpayer money to help pay for students’...