HOUSTON, Texas– More than 50 Democratic members of the Texas House announced Monday they will block all constitutional amendments unless the Republican-led chamber allows a statewide vote on legalizing school vouchers, escalating a long-standing partisan dispute over education policy.
The agreement, signed by a majority of House Democrats, outlines a strategy to withhold the two-thirds support required to pass constitutional amendments.
The move directly targets Republican legislative priorities and adds pressure on GOP leaders to permit a public referendum on education savings accounts, commonly known as school vouchers.
The Democrats’ announcement comes during the ongoing legislative session at the Texas Capitol, where lawmakers continue to debate the future of the state’s education funding system.
The proposal to legalize school vouchers has repeatedly stalled in the House, despite passing in the Senate, due to bipartisan resistance, including from rural Republicans concerned about potential funding losses for public schools.
“We believe Texans deserve a direct say in this decision,” the agreement states, referring to the proposed public vote on the voucher program. The lawmakers did not specify which amendments they plan to block but emphasized their unified stance on the issue.
Constitutional amendments in Texas require approval from two-thirds of both legislative chambers and a majority of voters in a statewide election.
Speaker of the House Dade Phelan has not issued a public statement in response to the Democrats’ ultimatum.