The campaign promise of $1,500 for every Texas household now has a bill behind it.
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat, filed legislation Monday to carry out Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa's pledge of one-time cash relief for the cost of living, The Texas Tribune reported. The measure would set aside $17 billion from the Economic Stabilization Fund, the state savings account better known as the rainy day fund, which holds more than $27 billion.
How the payments would work
Texas has no income tax, so the state has no ready list of households or bank accounts to send money to. Under the bill, the comptroller's office would have to build that system from scratch. It could check eligibility using information already lawfully available to state agencies, and residents could also apply on their own with records such as a lease or a utility bill.
Households would qualify if they are Texas residents on Jan. 1, 2027. The goal is to have payments out by the end of 2027, with applications accepted through the end of 2028. The comptroller would also need a way to reach people without a permanent address.
The Tribune's analysis found two possible gaps. The bill does not say whether recipients must be U.S. citizens, and it caps administrative costs at 1% of the $17 billion, which the Tribune calculated would fall at least $400 million short of covering roughly 11.6 million households.
Texas law usually forbids the Legislature from granting public money to individuals, with an exception for a "public calamity." The bill declares the state's affordability problems a public calamity, and the Tribune noted it is unclear whether that would hold up.
