In a speech to the Texas Senate, Governor Greg Abbott renewed his push for two major legislative priorities: a private school voucher program and a crackdown on bail reform. Both initiatives have faced roadblocks in past sessions, despite strong backing in the Senate.
Abbott emphasized the need for tighter bail laws, citing high-profile crimes in Houston involving defendants released on bond while awaiting trial for other charges.
“It is going to be up to us in the Senate and the House to make sure we do something about it so we stop criminals from killing other innocent people in our state,” Abbott told lawmakers.
The governor has long advocated amending the state Constitution to give judges more power to deny bail. Currently, Texas law guarantees defendants the right to pretrial release except for limited cases, such as capital murder. Despite support from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Senate Republicans, the proposal has repeatedly stalled in the House, either failing to meet required votes or getting delayed until session deadlines passed.
Abbott also renewed his push for education savings accounts (ESAs), which would allow families to use state funds for private school tuition and related education expenses. The voucher-style policy has been a point of contention, gaining traction in the Senate but facing opposition in the House due to concerns about its impact on public school funding.
Lt. Gov. Patrick, who presides over the Senate and supports both measures, reminded Abbott that the upper chamber has consistently passed the proposals.
“We passed that school choice bill five times. We passed that bail bill five times,” Patrick quipped. “I don't know who my partner is gonna be across the hall, but we passed that bill many times."
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