Gov. Greg Abbott has already held dozens of rallies around the state trying to build momentum for a school voucher program, which would allow parents to use tax dollars to partially pay for private school tuition.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Thursday that creating a private-school voucher program in Texas is “the defining issue” of the legislative session, reassuring a crowd of conservative supporters that their long wait for school choice was over.

The new leader of the lower chamber finally announced committee assignments, formalizing a new order in the lower chamber.