Tennessee House and Senate education committees passed the governor’s private-school voucher program Tuesday, speeding the $450 million first-year expense to final votes before week’s end. Senators voted 8-1 to send the measure to the finance committee to be considered Wednesday.

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.

The proposal, a priority of Gov. Greg Abbott, budgets $1 billion over the next two years to fund the private school vouchers.

Vouchers would let parents use public funds to pay for their kids’ private education. Learn about how they could work and the political battle around them.

"The die has been cast. That fact is it's gonna pass," Sen. Royce West said during a Tuesday committee hearing. "The question is how you make it a better bill?"

Budget estimates released Tuesday showed the cost of the Texas Senate’s “school choice” bill would nearly quadruple in four years. The analysis from the Legislative Budget Board came shortly before GOP lawmakers gave the proposal – Senate Bill 2 – a cozy reception in the Senate’s Education K-16 Committee.

The Senate education committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 2, which would establish education savings accounts.