Texas sues Harris County to stop new “guaranteed income” scheme – again

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — Harris County is trying to restart a “guaranteed income” program that has already been halted by the State of Texas.

In a Thursday release, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) sued the Harris County Commissioner’s Court to stop a welfare program called “Uplift Harris” that would redistribute public money to 1,928 residents in the county, which includes some classifications of noncitizens.

The Supreme Court of Texas stopped the unlawful program while litigation continued, noting “the State has raised serious doubts about the constitutionality of the Uplift Harris program.

“Harris County acts as though the Texas Constitution does not apply to them and as though they do not have to abide by the Texas Supreme Court’s rulings,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton. “Using public funds in this way directly violates the law. Harris County is willing to undermine the legal process out of apparent desperation to push this money into certain hands as quickly as possible.”

In April, Attorney General Paxton sued Harris County to stop the program, however, the Harris County Commissioners Court voted to enact a substantially similar welfare scheme despite the clear direction from the Texas Supreme Court.

The Texas Constitution explicitly rejects such programs and forbids “any county, city, town or other political corporation or subdivision of the State to grant public money or thing of value in aid of, or to any individual.”

You can read the filing by clicking here.