SB 743
Schwertner Bill Bans Local Guaranteed Income, With A Need-Based Hole
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
The hole
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Banned: cash “without regard to the individual’s circumstances.” A need-based program could argue its way out.
The bill bars cities, counties and other local governments from adopting or enforcing any ordinance, order or regulation that sets up or runs a guaranteed income program. It defines that program as regular, unconditional cash payments that a person can spend on anything, given without regard to the person's circumstances. Local governments lose the power to start or keep running such programs, with the ban taking effect immediately on a two-thirds vote or September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 8, 2025 and referred to the Senate Local Government committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB743 · 2025-01-08
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program.
WHAT IT DOES
Banned: cash “without regard to the individual’s circumstances.” A need-based program could argue its way out.
The bill bars cities, counties and other local governments from adopting or enforcing any ordinance, order or regulation that sets up or runs a guaranteed income program. It defines that program as regular, unconditional cash payments that a person can spend on anything, given without regard to the person's circumstances. Local governments lose the power to start or keep running such programs, with the ban taking effect immediately on a two-thirds vote or September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%
The ban only reaches payments made without regard to a person's circumstances. A program that picks recipients by income or need could argue it falls outside the definition and keeps running.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
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CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Donors report through Texans for Charles Schwertner.
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 · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
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 Jan 8, 2025
02/07/2025 S Referred to Local Government
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
City Government--General
County Government--General
Political Subdivisions
Text
The text as introduced · 185 words
89R4816 DNC-D By: Schwertner S.B. No. 743 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 without regard to the individual's circumstances. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, a political subdivision may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, order, or other regulation that establishes or provides for the operation of a guaranteed income program. SECTION 2. 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.