HOUSTON — The second version of the Uplift Harris guaranteed income program. The program was designed to give money to Harris County families that fell under a certain income level.
Paxton’s office sent out a release Friday, saying he’s secured a stay to keep Harris County from starting the program, which would have provided money on preloaded debit cards to qualifying families.
In the release, Paxton said that the Texas Constitution forbids cities or counties from giving public money or things of value to individuals.
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee's office sent out a statement Friday, vowing to push on.
"We disagree with the court’s interpretation of the Texas Constitution and the outcome of this decision," he said. "Harris County families deserve support, and we’ll keep pushing for solutions that give them a fair shot."
The original version of the Uplift Harris program identified 1,900 families that the county said qualified, based on income. Those families were to receive $500 per month for a year and a half as a pilot program.
In April, Paxton sued. The Texas Supreme Court then blocked the program from taking effect within an hour of the first payments going out.
After that, Harris County officials launched a second version of the program, which put restrictions on what people could use the money on. Paxton again sued to stop it, saying it was still unconstitutional.
At a hearing back in September, a Texas Senate committee looked into the program. At the time, Sen. Paul Bettencourt called the giveaway a “no-strings-attached lottery giveaway.” Meanwhile, Harris County attorney Christian Menefee accused Paxton of "using people living in poverty as a means to score political points."
