A Historic Day for Texas and America: Senate Bill 2, School Choice, Finally Passes!                                                                                                                                      


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A Historic Day for Texas and America: Senate Bill 2, School Choice, Finally Passes!


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Over the last six sessions as Lt. Governor, the Senate passed school choice six times, only to see it die in the House each time. Today, thanks to so many people, history was made, and Senate Bill 2, school choice, finally passed the Texas House. SB 2 will give parents the right they have always deserved to choose the best education for their child. The bill prioritizes students with disabilities, and students from low-to-middle income families, students in failing schools, and is universal for all families to apply.


We have many great public schools in Texas, but we also have many that are just average, and some that are failing their students. This session, the Senate also passed the most public education funding in history. Texas teachers, who averaged a $54,000/year salary in 2019, will average nearly $69,000 after this legislative session.


My goal is clear: I want school choice for parents and the best public school system in America. Competition is key to both goals.


I thank Gov. Greg Abbott, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Senate Education Chair Brandon Creighton, House Chair Brad Buckley, and my great education team of Marian Wallace and Chris Duke.


Most importantly, I thank President Trump, who helped us defeat anti-school-choice Republican members last year, and for making school choice one of his major policy initiatives this year. President Trump went as far as to call Texas House members yesterday to rally the vote. 86 of 88 Republican members voted yes. This is a historic day for Texas and America.


Texas Senate Firing on All Cylinders


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Over the last two weeks, the Texas Senate did not take its foot off the gas pedal, passing over 250 bills to the Texas House, including almost all of our top 40 priority bills. We passed a giant business tax cut, established a homeland security division within the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), passed legislation stopping squatters from taking advantage of Texas property owners, a bill to limit ridiculous and outrageous settlements for trial lawyers that drive up the cost for every Texan and passed other major legislation. The Senate is firing on all cylinders, and we will not be stopping anytime soon.


These priority bills have passed so far:


Senate Bill 1 [[link removed]] – Senate’s Budget for Texas

Senate Bill 2 [[link removed]] – Providing School Choice

Senate Bill 3 [[link removed]] – Banning THC in Texas

Senate Bill 4 [[link removed]] – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for Seniors)

Senate Bill 5 [[link removed]] – Combatting Dementia and Alzheimer’s – Establishing DPRIT (Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas)

Senate Bill 6 [[link removed]] – Increasing Texas’ Electric Grid Reliability

Senate Bill 7 [[link removed]] – Increasing Investments in Texas’ Water Supply

Senate Bill 8 [[link removed]] – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist the Federal Government’s Deportation Efforts

Senate Bill 9 [[link removed]] – Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets

Senate Bill 10 [[link removed]] – Placing the Ten Commandments in Schools

Senate Bill 11 [[link removed]] – Protecting the Freedom to Pray in Schools

Senate Bill 12 [[link removed]] – Establishing a Parental Bill of Rights

Senate Bill 13 [[link removed]] – Guarding Against Inappropriate Books in Public Schools

Senate Bill 14 [[link removed]] – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency

Senate Bill 15 [[link removed]] – Removing Barriers to Housing Affordability

Senate Bill 16 [[link removed]] – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting

Senate Bill 17 [[link removed]] – Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs

Senate Bill 18 [[link removed]] – Banning Drag Time Story Hour

Senate Bill 19 – Stopping Taxpayer Dollars for Lobbyists

Senate Bill 20 [[link removed]] – Stopping AI-Generated Child Pornography

Senate Bill 21 [[link removed]] – Establishing the Texas Bitcoin Reserve

Senate Bill 22 [[link removed]] – Generating Significant Returns for the Texas Economy *

Senate Bill 24 [[link removed]] – Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism

Senate Bill 25 [[link removed]] – Making Texas Healthy Again

Senate Bill 26 [[link removed]] – Increasing Teacher Pay

Senate Bill 27 [[link removed]] – Establishing a Teacher Bill of Rights

Senate Bill 28 [[link removed]] – Banning Lottery Couriers

Senate Bill 29 [[link removed]] – Texas: Open for Business

Senate Bill 30 [[link removed]] – Curbing Nuclear Verdicts *

Senate Bill 32 [[link removed]] – Business Tax Relief

Senate Bill 33 [[link removed]] – Stopping Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Travel *

Senate Bill 34 [[link removed]] – Wildfire Response *

Senate Bill 35 [[link removed]] – Competing for Quality Roads

Senate Bill 36 [[link removed]] – Establishing a Homeland Security Division within DPS

Senate Bill 37 [[link removed]] – Reforming Faculty Senates *

Senate Bill 38 [[link removed]] – Stopping Squatters

Senate Bill 40 [[link removed]] – Bail Reform


Bills marked with an asterisk (*) were passed this week.


Click here to view my top 40 priority bills [[link removed]].


Yippie Ki Yay! Adios! Sayonara! Auf Wiedersehen! Au Revoir!


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In 2021, the faculty senate at the University of Texas at Austin arrogantly stated that they were not accountable to the Texas Legislature or UT Board of Regents. They passed a resolution stating they were going to teach Critical Race Theory to UT students no matter what the legislature or taxpayers thought. 


I replied at the time: “I will not stand by and let looney Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students with Critical Race Theory. We banned it in publicly funded K-12 and we will ban it in publicly funded higher ed.”


Last night, with final passage of Senate Bill 37, the faculty senate at the University of Texas at Austin had their power stripped and found out the Legislature does have authority over faculty senates after all!


Here’s an idea for them to consider: these looney Marxist UT professors should find a friendly blue state to move to so we can fill their roles with quality conservative professors who will teach critical thinking.


Yippie Ki Yay! Adios! Sayonara! Auf Wiedersehen! Au Revoir! In every language you can possibly think of: Goodbye!


A Win for Rural Texans: Dallas-to-Houston Bullet Train Dream Comes to a Full Stop


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In a win for rural Texas, the Bullet Train project has been scrapped. For as long as I can remember, the Bullet Train from Dallas to Houston has been a dream to many and a nightmare to others, as it chugged along year after year through many stages, investors, and planners.


Rural counties along the proposed route fought the train each step of the way. After all this time, it looks like the train has been derailed once and for all. Click here to read the story [[link removed]].


President Trump Elevates Easter with the Observance It Deserves


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Thank you, President Trump, for the White House’s focus on this important week for the millions and millions of Christians in America and around the world. Click here to read more [[link removed]].


He Is Risen, Indeed!


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Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and peaceful Easter weekend. May we all take comfort in the miracle of the Resurrection and the unshakable hope it brings. He is risen, indeed!


Thank you for all your support over the years and for everything you do to keep Texas red. May God bless you and your family, and may He continue to bless the greatest state of all—Texas.


Sincerely,


Dan Patrick [[link removed]]


Dan Patrick

Lieutenant Governor of Texas


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Matthew 20:26 (NLT)


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