Now It’s Up to the Governor to Stop It
Just one day after narrowly passing the Texas House on second reading, Senate Bill 646—an expensive, government-growing student loan forgiveness program—cleared its final hurdle in the chamber with even more Republican support. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk, where it should be met with a swift and decisive veto.
SB 646, authored by State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) and sponsored by State Rep. Aicha Davis (D-DeSoto), expands Texas’ Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program into a bloated government subsidy that shifts personal debt onto the backs of taxpayers. The bill raises repayment caps by tens of thousands of dollars, extends eligibility to lower-level license holders and school counselors, and even includes new cash bonuses of up to $30,000 per person. It also allows $1 million in taxpayer funds to be spent on marketing the program—essentially advertising government-funded debt bailouts.
This is textbook Biden-style loan forgiveness, disguised as workforce policy.
Even more concerning than the policy itself is the erosion of conservative resolve. On third reading, six additional Republicans joined with Democrats and a handful of other republicans, noted here, in supporting the bill:
Angie Button, Brad Buckley, Drew Darby, Charlie Geren, Ken King, and Morgan Meyer
Meanwhile, Republicans Jay Dean, John Lujan, and Trey Wharton switched their votes to “No” on final passage after previously supporting the bill on 2nd reading.
On second reading, Trent Ashby and Trey Wharton initially voted for the bill but changed their votes after the tally had been taken—when it no longer mattered.
This pattern reveals a troubling trend: Republican lawmakers increasingly willing to abandon limited government principles when it suits political convenience. The Republican Party of Texas platform is clear in its opposition to student loan forgiveness schemes, yet these members voted to expand one using state dollars.
SB 646 sends a clear message to hardworking Texans: if you live within your means and make tough financial choices, you’ll be punished. But if you take on debt for a politically-favored career, politicians may come along and force your neighbors to pay it off.
Texas doesn’t need more government entitlements—it needs leaders who believe in fiscal discipline, individual responsibility, and a restrained government that respects the taxpayer. The Governor now has the opportunity—and the obligation—to stop this bill from becoming law.
For the sake of taxpayers, and the principles Texas was built on, he should veto SB 646.
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