Texas families could use tax dollars to fund their children’s private school tuition under a Republican-backed bill that sailed through the Senate late Wednesday.

AUSTIN – The Texas Senate is expected to approve a “school choice” bill Wednesday that would let families use taxpayer dollars for private school education – the first major step for Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority.

Texas Senators are debating Senate Bill 2 on the chamber floor, the piece of legislation that carries an education savings account (ESA) program that was recently declared an emergency item by Gov. Greg Abbott.