HB 5601
Phelan Bill Blocks Vouchers Until Feds Repay Texas Border Costs
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to conditioning the implementation of a school choice program on federal reimbursement of state expenses relating to securing the border.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Border costs back to September 1, 2015. The comptroller decides what’s owed and whether it was paid.
The bill bars Texas from starting any education savings account or similar program that lets a child use state money for private schooling until the comptroller certifies to the Legislature that the federal government has paid Texas back for its border security costs from September 1, 2015, to the present. It touches families who would use such a program, private schools that would receive the money, and the comptroller, who decides the amount owed and whether it was paid. On the ground, no state-funded school choice program can launch until that federal reimbursement arrives and is certified.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB5601 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to conditioning the implementation of a school choice program on federal reimbursement of state expenses relating to securing the border.
WHAT IT DOES
Border costs back to September 1, 2015. The comptroller decides what’s owed and whether it was paid.
The bill bars Texas from starting any education savings account or similar program that lets a child use state money for private schooling until the comptroller certifies to the Legislature that the federal government has paid Texas back for its border security costs from September 1, 2015, to the present. It touches families who would use such a program, private schools that would receive the money, and the comptroller, who decides the amount owed and whether it was paid. On the ground, no state-funded school choice program can launch until that federal reimbursement arrives and is certified.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
…“an education savings account program or a similar program through which a child may use state money for nonpublic primary or secondary education may not be implemented”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill blocks state money from flowing to private schooling through any voucher-style program until the federal government reimburses Texas for border costs.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 24, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
JLN III Holdings LLC$50,000.00
JLN III Holdings LLC
$50,000.00
- Cash
- $50,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $50,000.00
Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Oct 8, 2024 to Dec 2, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Oct 11, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987524.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
JLN III Holdings LLC
$50,000.00
- Cash
- $50,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $50,000.00
Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Oct 8, 2024 to Dec 2, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Oct 11, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987524.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025
04/07/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--Finance
State Finances--Management & Control
BORDER
FEDERAL RELATIONS
COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
Text
The text as introduced · 154 words
89R15902 KJE-D By: Phelan H.B. No. 5601 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to conditioning the implementation of a school choice program on federal reimbursement of state expenses relating to securing the border. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 1.015 to read as follows: Sec. 1.015. IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM CONDITIONED ON FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT OF BORDER EXPENSES. Notwithstanding any other law, an education savings account program or a similar program through which a child may use state money for nonpublic primary or secondary education may not be implemented until the comptroller certifies to the legislature that this state has received reimbursement from the federal government for the cost of securing the border for the period beginning September 1, 2015, to present, as determined by the comptroller. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.