Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday evening that a universal, school choice voucher program that gives parents public dollars to spend on private school tuition will help Texas lead the nation in education.

After seven hours of debate over Senate Bill 2 on the Senate floor Wednesday, the chamber suspended rules so lawmakers could expedite the process and send it to the Texas House for consideration.

Texans also heard from their fellow citizens as part of the Democratic Party’s response to Abbott’s speech, with state Democrats enlisting a public school educator, an OB/GYN, electricians’ union representative and the state’s Democratic chair to represent what the party hoped to project as the voice of everyday Texans.