Programs where governments give cash to low-income people with no strings attached may be permitted to continue in Texas after lawmakers failed to pass bills barring these programs.

Republican lawmakers filed four bills this legislative session to stop guaranteed income programs, arguing that public money should not be given to private individuals without a clear purpose.

But while at least one bill appeared to have the momentum needed to become law, all eventually failed.

Both state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Republican from Houston and state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, a Republican from the Austin area, authored bills prohibiting direct or indirect cash payments from local governments to individuals.

Senate Bill 2010, filed by Bettencourt, showed the most promise of becoming law this session. Lawmakers passed it out of the Senate. It went to the House. But once there it died.

Bettencourt did not respond to a request for comment, while Troxclair’s office declined an interview.

Guaranteed income programs have become increasingly popular in the U.S. New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans all have or had guaranteed income programs. Supporters of guaranteed income programs have painted them as necessary safety nets, especially as the cost of food and housing has risen across the country.

“It is the fine line between living in survival mode, just barely making it, and being able to thrive and take care of yourself,” said Ashleigh Hamilton, who was part of a guaranteed income program in Texas during the pandemic and testified against these bills during the legislative sessions

Austin has had a guaranteed income program since 2022. Last year, the city committed to giving 97 people $1,000 a month for a year. Participants received their last payment in May.

But as much as these programs have been celebrated, they have equally been criticized. GOP-led states, including Iowa, Arkansas and Idaho, have outlawed them.

Even before the legislative session began it was clear guaranteed income would be a target of Texas lawmakers. In Jan. 2024, Bettencourt asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate whether guaranteed income programs violate the state constitution.

Months later, Paxton made his opinion clear: He sued Harris County to halt its guaranteed income program. The Texas Supreme Court issued a ruling freezing the program.

“There is no such thing as free money — especially in Texas,” Paxton wrote in the lawsuit. He pointed to a clause in the state’s constitution prohibiting public funds from being given to private individuals with no clear aim.

Lawmakers made similar arguments this session. They also questioned in hearings whether government cash programs that don’t require participants to work encouraged people to work less.

Research on the impacts of guaranteed income on employment are mixed. One study found that people who got $1,000 a month worked, on average, 1.3 fewer hours a week than people who did not receive this cash. Other researchers have found no impact on work hours.

Lawmakers did not spend much time debating how people who participate in guaranteed income programs spend that money, which has historically been a critique of these programs. In one study of Austin’s guaranteed income program, people who received the money said they spent most of it on housing, either in the form of rent or mortgage payments.

It’s unclear if Austin will continue to fund its guaranteed income program. Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, who represents parts of Southeast Austin and has been an advocate of guaranteed income in the past, said Monday she would push to continue it. The city typically finalizes its budget in August.

AUSTIN, Texas — Osawese Agbonkonkon has always had a good balance between sports and school in his life.

“Childhood was sports and reading really,” says Agbonkonkon. “Everything from t-ball, swimming, soccer, basketball then to track and field. Of course, education was paramount in my family.”

Agbonkonkon tried plenty of different sports, but it was while he was playing basketball that he actually found what he was best at. A coach at his high school saw him dunking in warmups one game and asked if he wanted to come try out for track. Initially, he said no, but eventually, he gave it a try.

“Came out for one practice and so far it’s taken me here,” says Agbonkonkon.

He was already in his junior year at Frisco Wakeland High School, when Agbonkonkon began learning how to high jump. It didn’t take long to get pretty good. In 2023, Agbonkonkon finished fourth in the high jump at the Class 5A state meet. His success on the track led him to Oregon for his freshman year of college. After competing one season for the Ducks, Agbonkonkon decided to come back closer to home, and he transferred to Texas.

“It’s amazing to compete for UT. I love the history, I love the tradition,” says Agbonkonkon. “I’m a Texas kid, so to be competing for my home state’s flagship school it’s a great honor for me.”

Not only is he competing, but he’s excelling. Agbonkonkon jumped a personal best (7-1.50) at the NCAA West Regional and qualified for the NCAA Championship starting June 11. He’s developed a specific approach over the years when it comes to jumping.

“Before the jump there is a lot of thinking but once I get onto the line, I try to clear my mind,” says Agbonkonkon. “It’s such a technical event, the slightest thing going wrong can knock off the bar.”

While Agbonkonkon spends a lot of his time training and competing in track, he has another passion. Ever since he was a little kid, he’s loved to write, and that led to a big project a few years back.

“This is a project I’ve been working on for about six years,” says Agbonkon. “Started in about 2018 and something I’m passionate about.”

That project is a book that Agbonkonkon wrote, called Psychic Suit.

“When I first came up with the idea for this I was taking notes on paper for it, just little different ideas,” says Agbonkonkon. “Once I actually started writing it I think the first draft was about 40,000 words, this final draft is about 90,000 or so.”

The book is a science fiction novel is which he created an entire world and new characters but also used elements of his life to put into those characters.

“One of the biggest themes for me was talking about mental health,” says Agbonkonkon. “How does the world look at people who have mental health challenges and it’s OK to have those challenges.”

Agbonkonkon is looking into options of turning his book into a movie. He also says he’s about halfway done writing the sequel. 

No. 2 seed Texas will look to avoid a stunningly early elimination in the NCAA baseball tournament when it takes on UTSA at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in the Austin Regional on Sunday night.

The game’s a rematch of the Longhorns’ 9-7 loss Saturday to their in-state rivals, which sent Texas to the loser’s bracket for a pair of games Sunday. The Longhorms eliminated Kansas State 15-8 in the afternoon and takes the field just a short time later to keep their season alive. The Roadrunners, meanwhile had the afternoon off.

It’s the third meeting between the programs this season, with the Roadrunners winning the previous two. If the Texas can pull out the win Sunday night, the two teams would square off again Monday, with the winner advancing to the super regional round.

USA TODAY will provide updates, scores and highlights from the Texas-UTSA game. Follow along here:

Watch Texas vs UTSA with ESPN+

This section will be updated

This section will be updated.

Grubbs produces a better showing from the plate in his first full inning of the game for the Longhorns. He allowed just one hit as the Roadrunners were scoreless.

Back-to-back doubles for the Longhorns produce a positive result. Adrian Rodriguez doubled to deep right to start the inning. Casey Borba’s double allows for Rodriguez to score Texas’ first run of the game.

Pitcher Ethan Walker put Texas in a tough situation, allowing USTA to load the bases with two outs in the inning after hitting Caden Miller with a pitch.

Walker would hit a second consecutive batter that would allow UTSA’s Caden Miller to take first base and Lorenzo Morresi to score to take a 3-0 lead.

Schlossnagle decides to go with a pitching change, replacing Walker with Max Grubbs.

Hodge hits a bases-clearing double to deep center off Grubbs with two outs. Garrett Gruell, Caden Miller and Jordan Ballin all score for the Roadrunners, who lead the game 6-0.

Hodge would score off an RBI single from Mason Lytle before the inning concluded.

Rylan Galvan of Texas comes up on the wrong end of a risky play, trying to tag up from second before running to third with two outs and getting caught.

“Rylan was trying to hang out there and when he was trying to go back, there was no need to go,” Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said during the ESPN broadcast.

Ethan Walker comes in as the Longhorns’ new pitcher, replacing Hudson Hamilton.

Walker and the Longhorns did enough to keep the Roadrunners scoreless in the inning, leaving two runners on base.

The pitcher struck out two runners but did allow a walk after hitting Ty Hodge with a pitch.

Pitcher Gunnar Brown struck out Will Gasparino and Jalin Flores of Texas in the inning. Jonah Williams recorded a hit for the Longhorns. Brown and the Roadrunners managed to get out of the inning after Casey Borba grounded out to third.

Norris McClure and the UTSA bats made the most of their first opportunity at the plate and took a 2-0 lead. McClure had a two-run home run, bringing James Taussig to score.

UTSA pitcher Gunnar Brown held Texas scoreless after allowing two hits while striking out Adrian Rodriguez to start the game. Rylan Galvan and Ethan Mendoza each recorded a hit for the Longhorns.

Here is the Texas Longhorns starting lineup for their game against the UTSA Roadrunners Sunday night in the Austin Regional:

Here is the UTSA Roadrunners starting lineup for their game against the Texas Longhorns Sunday night in the Austin Regional:

What time does the Texas vs UTSA baseball game start?

• Date: Sunday, June 1
• Time: 8:06 p.m. ET

First pitch for the game between Texas and UTSA is scheduled for Sunday at 8:06 p.m. ET (7:06 p.m. CT) from UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.

Texas baseball’s game against UTSA in the Austin Regional of the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament is not airing on traditional linear television. Instead, it will be airing exclusively on ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming platform.

Texas baseball schedule 2025

Here are Texas’ past five results. To see the Longhorns’ full 2025 schedule, click here.

• Saturday, May 17: Texas 9, Oklahoma 1
• Thursday, May 22: No. 21 Tennessee 7, Texas 5 (12 innings)
• Friday, May 30: Texas 7, Houston Christian 1
• Saturday, May 31: UTSA 9, Texas 7
• Sunday, June 1: Texas 15, Kansas State 8

UTSA baseball schedule 2025

Here are UTSA’s past five results. To see the Roadrunners’ full 2025 schedule, click here.

• Thursday, May 22: Tulane 10, UTSA 6
• Friday, May 23: UTSA 6, Florida Atlantic 3
• Saturday, May 24: Tulane 6, UTSA 3
• Friday, May 30: UTSA 10, Kansas State 2
• Saturday, May 31: UTSA 9, Texas 7

NCAA baseball tournament schedule

• Regionals: May 30-June 2
• Super regionals: June 6-9
• College World Series: June 13-22/23
• CWS finals: June 21-22/23

The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament began on May 30 with the regional round, which will conclude no later than June 2. Following the regional round are the super regionals, which will take place June 6-9. After that, the College World Series will begin on June 13 and end on either June 22 or 23, depending on whether the three-game championship series needs two or three games.