Texas $1,500 relief payments proposal: What you should know

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 16:42:48 -0600

A proposed Texas bill would give qualifying households a one-time $1,500 payment to help with rising everyday expenses.

Senate Bill 297, proposed by state Sen. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio, points to increases in the cost of housing, food, electricity, transportation and insurance as reasons for providing relief.

The proposal still needs approval before any payments can be issued.

Texas $1,500 relief proposal

Who would qualify?

Under the bill, a household would need to have its usual residence in Texas on Jan. 1, 2027, and meet the state’s verification requirements.

The person representing the household would need to be at least 18 on that date or be an emancipated minor.

The payment would be $1,500 per household, not per person. Someone living alone could qualify, while people sharing a home would receive one payment for the household, regardless of whether they are related. The amount would not increase based on the number of people living there.

There would be no income limit. Eligibility would not depend on owning a home, having a job, paying property taxes or filing a tax return. Receiving public benefits would not disqualify a household.

The payment would not be a loan and generally would not need to be repaid, except in cases of fraud or duplicate payments.

Where would the money come from?

The bill would set aside $17 billion from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund, commonly called the Rainy Day Fund, to cover payments and administration.

No more than 1% of that funding could be used to administer the program.

If the funding were insufficient to pay every qualifying household the full amount, the state comptroller would have to notify state leaders of the estimated shortfall.

How would people apply?

The Texas comptroller’s office would oversee the program and could use existing government records to identify qualifying households.

The bill also requires an accessible application process, including mail and in-person options in addition to any online method. A household could not be denied solely because it does not appear in an existing government database.

Documents such as a lease, utility record or school record could help establish residency. The bill also allows other evidence, including a sworn declaration.

The comptroller would have to establish rules for people experiencing homelessness, residents of group housing and others without a conventional street address.

Payments could be made by electronic transfer, check or another secure method selected by the recipient.

When could payments arrive?

There is no guaranteed payment date, and the proposal does not mean checks are on the way.

If the bill becomes law, it would direct the comptroller to begin issuing payments as soon as practical after it takes effect, with a goal of paying verified households by Dec. 31, 2027.

Applications would remain open through Dec. 31, 2028. Payments on timely applications could continue afterward until eligible claims are resolved, subject to available funding.

Lawmakers would still need to approve the proposal and its funding before the program could move forward.

Gina Hinojosa education agenda: What could change for Texas schools?

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 07:48:55 -0600

Texas is getting a new governor, and that could bring major changes to public education across the state.

Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa has promised to make major changes to Texas education, including ending the state’s school voucher program, stopping state takeovers of local school districts and overhauling the Texas Education Agency.

What will happen to Texas school vouchers?

One of the biggest questions is what will happen to the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, which allows eligible families to use state funding for approved educational expenses, including private school tuition and homeschooling.

The program launched this school year after lawmakers approved it in 2025. According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, more than 118,000 students had active awards as of August 28. The state set aside $1 billion for the program.

During her campaign, Hinojosa promised to end the voucher program.

But some schools say the program is already making a difference for families.

Dr. Andrew Green, founder of Houston’s PSAT Academy, says enrollment at his school has increased by 200% since the program launched.

Green shared the story of one student who is non-verbal and had struggled to make progress at his previous school.

"I think about one kid, I don’t want to say his name, but he’s non-verbal, and he’s probably had a kindergartner’s, first-grader level on education, even though he’s a lot older," Green said.

Green says the student’s mother had questioned whether her child would ever learn.

"The joy that she’s had that her baby is actually learning, and she’s been able to afford something that can fit in her budget with TEFA," he said.

Green says the program has given parents and private schools more resources to serve students.

However, he says ending the program would not mean the end of school choice.

"It’s just going to be a lot of scratching heads. Did we chop something for partisan reasons? Did we chop it because it was ineffective?" Green said.

Texas comptroller-elect weighs in on school vouchers

Texas Comptroller-elect Sarah Eckhardt also opposes the voucher program.

"I am not a proponent of this voucher program. I argued against it vigorously on the floor of the Senate," Eckhardt said.

Eckhardt says she believes the state is subsidizing a private industry that was already doing well without public funding.

She also questions whether the program is reaching the families lawmakers originally intended to help, particularly lower-income families and students with disabilities.

However, Eckhardt says she will administer the program because it is now state law.

"As the comptroller, my job is to vigorously follow the money and report back to the legislature if their investment is not panning out," she said.

Eckhardt says she believes lawmakers need to review whether the program is creating more educational opportunities for the families it was designed to serve.

School vouchers are not the only education policy Hinojosa wants to change.

Hinojosa promises changes to Texas Education Agency and school takeovers

She has also promised to end state takeovers of public school districts and return control to local communities.

Hinojosa says one of her first moves will be to fire Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath and replace him with an educator.

Morath leads the agency responsible for overseeing public education across Texas, including state interventions and takeovers of local school districts.

Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk, says Hinojosa’s proposed changes could bring a significant shift to public education.

"If we go by what she’s saying, and there’s no reason to not believe, I think it’s going to be a real change in regards to public education," Sanborn said.

Sanborn says he expects fewer state takeovers under the new administration, including in districts like Houston ISD.

"I think the other thing is that she’s pretty clear that she doesn’t like these school takeovers," he said. "So things like what we’re seeing in Houston Independent School District, we’re seeing Fort Worth, I think those will be minimized."

What could happen to the STAAR test in Texas?

Hinojosa has also pledged to end the STAAR test, Texas’ standardized student assessment.

Sanborn says replacing the test would likely require another form of accountability.

"She talks about not liking the STAAR test, and so some other form of accountability is probably something that’s going to happen," he said.

What's next for Texas public education?

However, Sanborn says some of these changes could be complicated by existing state laws and would require working with lawmakers.

He says a new TEA commissioner is likely, while changes to the voucher program and state takeovers could take more time.

Texas’ education system will not change overnight. While Hinojosa has outlined several priorities, some changes could be made through her administration, while others would require action from the Texas Legislature.

For now, the future of school vouchers, state takeovers and standardized testing remains a major question as Texas prepares for a new administration.

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