Greg Abbott talks “school choice,” Paxton settlement and transgender kids

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Gov. Greg Abbott stated Monday he shall be “heavily involved” within the push for an education savings account program this legislative session as the thought continues to face an uphill battle within the Texas House.

Abbott, in an interview with The Texas Tribune, stated he can be touring the state to make the case on to voters, notably in rural areas. Such a program could redirect taxpayer money away from public faculties as dad and mom use that cash to pay for his or her kids’s personal college, on-line education or personal tutors. Similar proposals have usually met resistance from a coalition of Democrats and rural GOP lawmakers.

“Among Republican rural voters, about 80% support this,” Abbott stated, “and I think that Republican officeholders will see that more and more, and I think there may be a change in the perception of what their voters expect of them in Austin, Texas.”

Abbott addressed that subject and a number of others in an interview on the heels of his State of the State handle Thursday.

Education financial savings accounts

One of the emergency objects that Abbott introduced was “education freedom,” together with training financial savings accounts for each guardian. Those would permit the state to deposit taxpayer funds that folks may then use to assist pay for sending their kids to colleges outdoors the normal public training system.

State House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, has stated he’s high-quality with an up-or-down vote on these sorts of proposals, however he has famous that the House has beforehand rejected them by vast margins. In rural elements of Texas, public college programs are main employers and a supply of neighborhood delight. Many rural areas have few personal faculties.

In the interview, Abbott sought to differentiate between rural Republican lawmakers and their voters, saying “rural Republican voters strongly support this.” Last 12 months, 88% of GOP major voters accredited of a nonbinding proposition saying “parents and guardians should have the right to select schools, whether public or private, for their children, and the funding should follow the student.” Large majorities also supported it within rural counties.

To construct legislative help, Abbott stated he can be “taking this show on the road across the state of Texas to appeal to voters themselves.” He spoke at a “parental empowerment night” final month in Corpus Christi that was hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Austin-based conservative assume tank. And he headlined an identical occasion Monday night time in Temple, showing within the yard of the brand new chair of the House Public Education Committee, state Rep. Brad Buckley of Killeen.

Buckley has been against vouchers up to now, however advocates have expressed optimism that he’s now open to the thought.

“I think that there at least is the opportunity to have this have a better chance than ever before, in part because of the makeup of the committee, but also in part because of the makeup of the constituents of the members,” Abbott stated.

Florida and DeSantis

Abbott shrugged off the concept that he’s locked in a conservative coverage rivalry with Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor who’s more likely to run for president in 2024. Abbott can be a attainable White House contender, although he’s seen as much less possible — and formidable — as DeSantis for now.

“The reality is we really just focus on Texas and working for our constituents here in our state,” Abbott stated.

While Abbott didn’t point out Florida or DeSantis by title, he did boast that Texas “has been a national leader” on proscribing abortion and increasing gun rights. He alluded to the legal guidelines he signed in 2021 that banned most abortions in Texas and allowed the permitless carry of handguns — two conservative coverage priorities through which Florida nonetheless trails Texas.

Abbott additionally argued that Texas has led the nation with its 2021 legislation that bans massive social media corporations from blocking customers’ posts primarily based on their political viewpoints. He stated he believes it’s the solely such legislation within the nation “that’s been upheld by courts so far.”

Abbott stated Texas was even forward of the curve with a 2021 legislation stopping native bans on pure gasoline as a gasoline supply. That problem turned a nationwide controversy lately after the Biden administration raised GOP concerns that it was involved in outlawing gasoline stoves, a notion it shortly denied.

Abbott’s remarks come as DeSantis is making ready to make his most anticipated visit to Texas yet. He is ready to go to Houston and Dallas over the primary weekend in March to headline annual fundraising dinners for the county events in every metropolis.

Paxton settlement

Attorney General Ken Paxton has stirred unease within the Legislature with a tentative $3.3 million settlement to finish a whistleblower lawsuit introduced by former deputies. Phelan stated final week that he personally opposed utilizing taxpayer {dollars} on the settlement, which must be accredited by the Legislature.

Abbott additionally has a job within the course of because the individual finally accountable for signing the state price range into legislation or vetoing it. While he didn’t voice outright opposition to taxpayer {dollars} getting used for the settlement, he did echo Phelan in saying Paxton must persuade lawmakers to log off on the deal.

“It may or may not even reach my desk, but as Speaker Phelan made clear, this is an issue that the attorney general is going to have to fully explain to both the House and the Senate,” Abbott stated. “I’m also in the boat of having to learn more about this.”

At the identical time, Abbott appeared to downplay any specific controversy over the settlement, saying it’s “just like every other budget-type issue I encounter.”

“I need full information on the budget issue to determine if I’m gonna sign it or not,” Abbott stated.

Health take care of transgender kids

As conservative activists proceed to foyer for laws banning sure well being care therapies for transgender kids, Abbott stated it’s a proposal he would signal if it reaches his desk.

Abbott and different Republicans’ rhetoric has centered on surgical procedures for transgender kids, although medical specialists say these procedures are very uncommon. LGBTQ advocates have warned that such rhetoric is harmful for kids’ psychological well being.

Still, “ending child gender modification” is one in every of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s high 30 legislative priorities this session. It can be a legislative precedence for the Texas GOP.

Abbott already took on well being take care of transgender kids final 12 months when he ordered the Department of Family and Protective Services to research transition-related care for kids as child abuse. Yet that didn’t fulfill Abbott’s intraparty critics, who proceed to push for a legislative answer. An analogous measure failed in 2021.

Abbott declined to place the proposal on any of the requires the particular periods in 2021, saying its possibilities of passing within the House had been “nil.” However, he did specific help for a legislation sooner or later sooner or later that defines transition-related care — like puberty blockers and hormone remedy — as little one abuse.

​​“We do need it as a law,” Abbott said in October 2021, “and it would be stronger obviously if the Legislature would pass it, and I want to see the Legislature pass it.”

Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a monetary supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Financial supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Find a whole list of them here.