(Texas Scorecard) – Texas Senators have approved a bill to halt local guaranteed basic income programs, such as Harris County’s controversial Uplift Harris initiative.
The legislation prohibits cities, counties, and other political subdivisions in Texas from using public funds for guaranteed income programs, blocking the payments even if the program is funded by federal dollars.
Uplift Harris, backed by Democrat county officials, sought to provide $500 monthly, no-strings-attached payments to nearly 1,900 low-income households, including illegal aliens allowed to stay under the Biden administration’s mass parole policies.
The funding—over $20 million—came from leftover federal COVID-19 relief money, which was originally intended for pandemic recovery, not for launching permanent entitlement schemes.
Harris County commissioners introduced Uplift 2.0 after the first effort was stopped in the courts. The sole Republican on the court, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom S. Ramsey, cast the only “no” vote.
Attorney General Ken Paxton led the charge against both proposals, filing a lawsuit asserting that direct cash payments violate the Texas Constitution’s prohibition on local governments granting public funds to individuals.
The Texas Supreme Court agreed, issuing a stay that blocked the county from distributing funds while the legal battle continues. The court noted “serious doubts about the constitutionality” of Uplift Harris.
The newly passed Senate Bill 2010 would prohibit any Texas city or county from enacting guaranteed income programs, including programs using gift cards or other indirect cash transfers.
“Harris County’s UBI scheme violates the gift clause of the Texas Constitution,” said State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston). “Harris County’s original uplift program was a random lottery giveaway of public money with no return to taxpayers, little transparency, and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.”
The bill now heads to the Texas House for consideration.