Legislation to create school vouchers in Texas would send taxpayer money to private schools that teach anti-science ideas.

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.

After hours of testimony Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Education advanced Senate Bill 2, a school voucher bill, setting it up for a floor vote.

The Senate could vote on the proposal as soon as next week. Democrats on Tuesday criticized the bill saying it fails to prioritize the state’s neediest children.

Late Tuesday night the Texas Education Committee voted to advance State Bill 2 with a 9-2 Republican majority pushing the bill forward despite facing opposition on both sides of the political aisle.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says the Texas Senate will approve a bill next Wednesday to allocate $1 billion in taxpayer money for thousands of students to attend private schools. The bill, SB 2, has already passed the Senate Education K-16 Committee.