SB 2010: bill banning local guaranteed income programs

Caption

relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program.

Summary

Unconditional cash is out. Work or job training conditions are fine.

The bill bars Texas cities, counties and other local governments from creating or running guaranteed income programs, defined as regular, unconditional cash payments that people can spend on anything. Programs that require recipients to look for work, work, or attend job training are not covered by the ban. Existing local programs may keep running only until January 1, 2026, or until they expire, whichever comes first.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 23, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Intergovernmental Affairs committee 6-5, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2010 · 2025-03-06

SOLD BY

Sen. Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

+ 3 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program.

WHAT IT DOES

Unconditional cash is out. Work or job training conditions are fine.

The bill bars Texas cities, counties and other local governments from creating or running guaranteed income programs, defined as regular, unconditional cash payments that people can spend on anything. Programs that require recipients to look for work, work, or attend job training are not covered by the ban. Existing local programs may keep running only until January 1, 2026, or until they expire, whichever comes first.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 11, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 6, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 6, 2025Filed
Mar 17, 2025Read first time
Mar 17, 2025Referred to Local Government
Apr 7, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 7, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 7, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Apr 7, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 10, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 10, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 14, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 14, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 15, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 16, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 22, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 22, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 22, 2025Record vote
Apr 22, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 22, 2025Record vote
Apr 23, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 23, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 23, 2025Record vote
Apr 23, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 23, 2025Passed
Apr 23, 2025Record vote
Apr 23, 2025Statement(s) submitted
Apr 23, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 24, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 28, 2025Read first time
Apr 28, 2025Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs
Apr 30, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 30, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 9, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 9, 2025Committee report distributed
May 10, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 22 yea · 9 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Apr 23, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Paul Bettencourt

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Paul Bettencourt.

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 27, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Votes4

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 22
Nay: 9
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 22 (published)
Nay: 9 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 22
Nay: 9
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Bettencourt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 2010 at this time on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 2010, Relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 22 (published)
Nay: 9 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea: 22
Nay: 9
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 22 (published)
Nay: 9 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea: 22
Nay: 9
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Bettencourt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 2010 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 2010, Relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 22 (published)
Nay: 9 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses16

For: 3
Against: 12
On: 1

Names

For

FGA Action1 registration
Self1 registration
Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration

Against

City of Dallas1 registration
El Paso County1 registration
Equity Action1 registration
Every Texan1 registration
Self4 registrations
Self; Austin justice coalition1 registration
Self; Texas AFL-CIO1 registration
Self; Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
Self; UpTogether1 registration

On

Conference of Urban Counties1 registration

Sources

16 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 11, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 6, 2025

05/10/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11

Kevin SparksRSenate 31

Companion

HB 530 by Troxclair (identical)

SB 395 by Middleton (duplicate)

Subjects

City Government--General

County Government--General

Financial--General

Human Services--Direct Assistance

Political Subdivisions

State Finances--Management & Control

Text

The text as introduced · 279 words

89R3393 AMF-F

By: Bettencourt
S.B. No. 2010

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish

and operate a guaranteed income program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 140.014 to read as follows:

Sec. 140.014. PROHIBITION ON GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAM.

(a) In this section, "guaranteed income program" means a program

under which an individual is issued an unconditional cash payment

on a regular basis to be used by the individual for any purpose. The

term does not include a program under which an individual is

required to seek employment, perform work, or attend career or job

training as a condition of receiving a payment.

(b) Unless explicitly authorized by law, a political

subdivision may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, order,

regulation, or other measure that establishes or provides for the

operation of a guaranteed income program.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 140.014, Local

Government Code, as added by this Act, an ordinance, order,

regulation, or other measure that establishes or provides for the

operation of a guaranteed income program, as defined by that

section, in effect before the effective date of this Act may be

enforced until the earlier of January 1, 2026, or the expiration of

the ordinance, order, regulation, or other measure.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Senate Apr 22, 2025

For

Against

On

Companion