Texas Attorney General Thwarts Harris County Universal Basic Income Program for the 2nd Time

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken legal action to halt Harris County's guaranteed basic income program by securing a stay on the program after the County reintroduced Universal basic Income initiative. Paxton filed a lawsuit against Harris County in April 2024 over the "Uplift Harris" program, which aimed to provide $500 monthly payments to 1,900 low-income households for 18 months. He argued that this program violated the Texas Constitution, specifically the section that prohibits cities and counties from granting public money or things of value to individuals. The Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked the program in April 2024, preventing the distribution of payments while legal challenges were resolved. Paxton's argument was that the program did not serve a public purpose and redistributed funds without sufficient accountability.

after the initial program was blocked, Harris County introduced a revised version, "Uplift Harris 2.0" or "Community Prosperity Program," which included restrictions on how the money could be spent to address legal concerns. Despite these changes, Paxton sued again in September 2024, asserting that even the modified program was unconstitutional.

A district judge initially denied Paxton's request for an injunction, allowing the program to proceed temporarily. However, Paxton appealed, and subsequent actions by the Texas Supreme Court and further legal battles have continued to challenge the program's legality.