School choice already dead in Texas House, says public education chair (video)

State Rep. Dan Huberty, a Houston Republican and chairman of the House Public Education Committee, said Tuesday morning that school choice legislation has no path forward in the House during the current legislative session.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has called Senate Bill 3 one of his top priorities. The bill would create two separate public programs to subsidize private school tuition and homeschooling, including one giving parents debit cards backed by taxpayer money.

"Yes, this is dead to you as an issue?" Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith asked Huberty as a Tribune event Tuesday morning.

"I believe so, yes," Huberty said. 

School choice proposals have long faced more opposition in the House than in the Senate, though Huberty said he wasn't certain the bill even has the votes to clear the Senate this session.

Click here to watch full video of the conversation between Smith and Huberty.