Texas GOP lawmaker refuses to say school vouchers should be off limits to richest families

The Texas House Committee on Public Education's hearing on school vouchers got off to a rocky start Tuesday after its chairman refused to rule out state tax dollars being used to fund private school tuitions for the state's wealthiest families. Sparks flew between voucher skeptic Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, and committee chair Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, after Talarico asked Buckley if families earning more than $500,000 annually should be eligible for private-school tuition assistance under House Bill 3. Buckley authored the bill, one of two Republican-backed voucher proposals the Texas Legislature is considering this session. "If this bill was limited to low-income people or even middle-class people, then we can have that conversation," Talarico said before addressing Buckley directly.