Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed a school choice bill into law on Saturday that will allocate $1 billion for a voucher program that allows parents to use public funds to pay for their child's private school tuition.

The program's implementation caps off a yearslong effort by Republicans who have been advocating for school choice. Voucher supporters have long focused on Texas, where previous efforts failed amid resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans.

Last month, President Donald Trump called on state lawmakers ahead of a key vote on the bill to finally send the measure to Abbott’s desk. The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2 by a party-line 19-12 vote on April 24 after the state House approved the bill by an 86-63 vote the week before.

"When I ran for reelection in 2022, I promised school choice for the families of Texas," Abbott said before signing the bill at the governor's mansion. "Today, we deliver on that promise."

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Abbott was joined by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state House Speaker Dustin Burrows, bill author and state Sen. Brandon Creighton, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, school choice advocates and students and their families.

"From here forward, [Texas students] will have unlimited potential and unlimited options in education to pursue for the rest of their path and education and what their families do best, and that in of itself was worth the journey," Creighton said.

Texas joins more than 30 other states that already have similar programs. The Lone Star State will have the largest voucher program in the country.

School vouchers have been Abbott’s main focus this year, following last year's election cycle in which he called for Republican primary voters to remove from office GOP lawmakers who voted against a similar bill in the last legislative session that the governor had supported.

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Supporters of the bill say it will give parents more options by allowing them to take their children out of poor-performing public schools in favor of alternative public or private school choices.

"Gone are the days that families are limited to only the schools assigned by government," Abbott said. "The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that is best for their child."

Democrats and Republicans in rural districts who have criticized the program argue that it will pull financial resources from Texas' public school students and subsidize the private education of wealthy families.

"Let’s be clear: this bill is only best for the richest people in the state, and rural Texas especially will get the shaft," Texas Democratic Party chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement. "To top it all off, Abbott’s school shut-downs are in full-swing with no end in sight."

Starting next school year, families can receive $10,000 per year to help pay for their child's private school tuition or costs for home-schooling and virtual learning programs. Children with disabilities can qualify for as much as $30,000 per year.

The program will be capped at $1 billion for the first year and cover up to 90,000 students. But by 2030, it could cost up to $4.5 billion per year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas were spotted enjoying a stroll together as the actress celebrated her birthday.

The 62-year-old actor and de Armas were seen chatting as they walked down a path in a London park on the "Knives Out" star's 37th birthday on Wednesday.

In a photo and video captured by a bystander and shared on X, formerly Twitter, Cruise was seen wearing a white polo t-shirt with dark blue jeans while de Armas sported a light-colored t-shirt with jeans, white sneakers and a brown crossbody bag.

Cruise walked next to de Armas with his hands behind his back and was holding what appeared to be an olive green dog leash with a pouch. The pair were accompanied by another woman as well as security guards during their outing. 

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In the clip shared on social media, a dog that appeared to be de Armas' pooch Salsa was seen walking alongside the group. 

Representatives for Cruise and de Armas did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

The pair, who are reportedly collaborating on a project, have been spotted together in London on several occasions over the past few months, fueling rumors of a potential romance.

The day before de Armas' birthday, Cruise and the Cuba native were photographed as they disembarked a helicopter that was flown by the "Mission Impossible" star. 

In images obtained by People magazine, de Armas was pictured walking on a helipad as she smiled and held her dog Elvis. The "Ghosted" actress wore a light pink hoodie with lavendar-colored shorts and white tennis shoes.

Another woman was seen strolling next to de Armas as she walked Salsa on a leash.

Cruise was photographed wearing a navy blue t-shirt with jeans and black shoes. The "Top Gun: Maverick" star beamed as he carried a black backpack and walked across the tarmac.

A source told People magazine that the two were "maybe" celebrating de Armas' birthday together. 

Two weeks earlier, the pair were spotted after another helicopter ride. On April 13, Cruise and de Armas were seen deplaning the actor's helicopter in London that took off from Madrid, Spain. 

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De Armas wore blue jeans and a leather jacket as she held Elvis and walked Salsa. Cruise was seen in a white polo shirt, gray slacks and a navy jacket. 

At the time, a source told People that the pair are not romantically involved and were accompanied on the trip by director Doug Liman. The group is reportedly working on a new project, but no additional information was provided.

Romance rumors began to swirl when de Armas and Cruise were photographed together for the first time on the night before Valentine's Day.

On Feb. 13, the two were pictured walking through London's Soho neighborhood as de Armas carried what appeared to be takeout bags of food from a restaurant. The two stopped for photos with fans before leaving in a taxi together.

A source later told People magazine that Cruise and the "Ghosted" actress had dined out with their agents, saying they were "discussing potential collaborations down the line." The insider claimed Cruise and de Armas "appeared to have no romantic connection" and were "just friends."

However, the duo further fueled dating speculation when they were again photographed together on March 14 as they arrived at the London Heliport by helicopter at night.

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While speaking with People, a source said Cruise and de Armas echoed the statements made about them, and insisted they are collaborating on an upcoming project, but are not romantically involved. 

According to the insider, director Liman also accompanied the two on the trip, but further details about the project were not disclosed.

De Armas will next be seen starring in the upcoming action thriller "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina." The movie is the fifth film in the "John Wick" franchise and will be released on June 6.

During a 2023 interview, de Armas heaped praise on Cruise as she discussed what motivated her to take on action roles. 

"It’s demanding and painful, and your body is hurting everywhere, but it’s also very rewarding as I saw myself getting better at it," the "No Time to Die" star told USA Today. "Besides, it’s fun. And if I just go say my lines and someone else does the stunts, I’m missing that fun."

While speaking with the outlet, de Armas acknowledged she was "not at a Tom Cruise level yet."

"But I can appreciate what he does 100% now, and I totally get why he does it. He’s so mind-blowing," she said.

Cruise is one of Hollywood's biggest action stars, appearing in dozens of movies within the genre and has led the "Mission Impossible" franchise since 1996.

The actor is producing and starring in the eighth installment of the franchise, titled "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," which premieres in theaters on May 23.

Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash contributed to this report.