The Revival of Harris County’s Guaranteed Income Program
Harris County leaders are considering a second try at a guaranteed income program that would provide participants with a debit card with certain spending limits, rather than the unlimited monthly stipend previously envisioned. Discussions of reviving the plan to “elevate Harris” emerged two months after the Texas Supreme Court blocked an earlier effort on constitutional grounds.
Legal Challenges and Proposed Solutions
The pilot program, which would provide monthly stipends of $500 to more than 1,900 families for 18 months, was blocked by the Texas Supreme Court at the behest of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton argued that the program violated the state’s constitution and raised concerns about the selection process for participants. In response, Harris County officials are now considering implementing the program using a debit card system with tighter spending limits or expanding eligibility to all Harris County residents living below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
County Responses and Future Plans
County Judge Lina Hidalgo is leading the discussions on “Elevating Harris 2.0” and has expressed support for the revised program. Despite criticism from some county officials, the majority of the Commissioners Court are in favor of moving forward with the guaranteed income initiative. The county steering committee has approved the debit card option, and the Commissioners Court will make a final decision on “Uplift Harris 2.0” next week.
National Landscape and Funding Deadlines
Similar guaranteed income programs have been launched in nearly 60 cities and counties across the country, including Austin and San Antonio. However, Harris County’s program has faced legal challenges that other jurisdictions have not encountered. With federal funding deadlines looming, Harris County officials are under pressure to revamp the program and address any legal concerns in order to move forward with their vision of providing financial support to low-income families.
