HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed another lawsuit against Harris County over its latest guaranteed income program.
The guaranteed income program was revised after the Texas Supreme Court blocked it from taking effect in June within an hour of the first payments going out.
The program provides $500 a month on a preloaded debit card to 1,900 families who live below 200% of the federal poverty line. The revised version added spending restrictions based on guidance from the state supreme court, according to Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.
The program was developed after the Texas Supreme Court froze another Harris County program, Uplift Harris, which would have provided $500 a month to underserved County residents with fewer spending restrictions. The restrictions limited the use of funds to items such as housing, utilities, transportation, groceries, medical care, clothing and other essential needs.
In both lawsuits challenging the program, Paxton called it unconstitutional.
"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,” Paxton said in a statement. “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.”
Menefee accused Paxton of "using people living in poverty as a means to score political points."
"In Harris County, we understand the need to tackle the real problems people face. Folks in Austin may not prioritize helping those in need, but they shouldn’t stand in the way of much-needed support," the county attorney said in a statement.
Over 82,000 people applied for the Uplift Harris Program, according to county leaders.
Menefee said they'll fight Paxton's lawsuit in court.