Texas House Democrats could hold GOP priorities hostage to force statewide school vouchers vote
BY RENZO DOWNEY
APRIL 15, 2025
House Democrats are threatening to kill all constitutional amendments for the rest of session unless the House votes to put school vouchers before voters in November. They appear to have the numbers to make good on that special session-inducing threat.
More than 50 House Democrats have signed on to that plan, according to at least four Democrats and Capitol staffers briefed on the tally, enough to handcuff the Legislature on constitutional amendments. The move comes as Gov. Greg Abbott is attempting to squash any changes to his top legislative priority, Senate Bill 2, including a bill amendment that would have voters weigh in on the proposed education savings account program.
Blocking constitutional amendments is one of the last bits of leverage Texas Democrats have left after House Republicans this session undid the decades-long tradition of giving the minority party committee chairmanships. Killing vouchers is Democrats’ top legislative priority, and Democrats say they are prepared to pull all the stops to thwart the measure and others they oppose.
Constitutional amendments require at least 100 votes from the House’s 150 members to pass the chamber before going before Texas voters. With 62 Democrats in the House, Republicans need at least 12 Democrats to make any constitutional amendment happen.
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