Could a $1,500 check soon be headed your way?
Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa wants to send $1,500 to every household in the state by tapping into billions of dollars saved in Texas’ Rainy Day Fund.
The proposal was a central part of Hinojosa’s campaign, but turning that promise into actual payments would require approval from state lawmakers.
“My plan is to send money back to people, $1,500 to every Texas household,” Hinojosa told our ENOUGH team during her campaign.
Hinojosa wants to use money from Texas’ Economic Stabilization Fund, commonly known as the Rainy Day Fund.
The fund was established in 1988 to help the state’s financial shortfalls and other major expenses. Over the years, lawmakers have used the money for public education, water infrastructure and disaster recovery.
Texas lawmakers appropriated approximately $1.8 billion from the Rainy Day Fund in 2019 for direct Hurricane Harvey relief.
Hinojosa previously told KPRC 2 that the fund had grown to approximately $27 billion.
Under her proposal, the state would withdraw $17 billion to distribute $1,500 payments to Texas households, leaving approximately $10 billion in reserves.
“Economists will say it is irresponsible to hoard that money,” Hinojosa said during her campaign.
Last year, the Texas Comptroller’s Office said the Rainy Day Fund reached its cap.
Dividing $17 billion by $1,500 would provide enough money for approximately 11.3 million household payments, assuming the entire amount went directly toward checks.
KPRC 2 spoke with Houston-area residents about the proposal and whether the payments could make a difference in their daily lives.
Precious Oginni, a Houston resident who recently graduated from college and is searching for a job, said the money would help cover basic expenses.
“I think that’s really amazing. It’ll definitely help out a whole lot of people in Houston, homeless people, regular people making just normal income,” Oginni said.
Oginni said she would likely spend the money on groceries, gas and other everyday necessities.
“Me personally, I just graduated college and I’m still in the job search market, so it’ll definitely help me out,” she said.
But not everyone agrees that every household should receive a payment.
Eddie, a Sugar Land resident who didn’t want to give his last name, said he supports using the money to help Texans facing serious financial hardship but questions whether payments should be distributed to everyone regardless of income.
“If it is truly done, and for people that are truly needed, I think that that may be something worthwhile,” Eddie said.
He added that he personally would not need the money to survive and would prefer that assistance be directed toward people struggling financially.
“If people are really stressed to the point of not being able to survive, it may be an emergency in itself,” Eddie said.
When KPRC 2 asked viewers on Facebook about Hinojosa’s proposal, some suggested the money would be better spent on public education.
Despite the proposal, there is no confirmed timeline for when Texans could receive payments.
Hinojosa would first need approval from the Texas Legislature to withdraw the money from the Rainy Day Fund. Her proposed use of the fund would require a two-thirds vote in both the Texas House and Senate.
Even if lawmakers approve the proposal, state officials would still need to establish eligibility requirements and determine how the money would be distributed.
Questions also remain about whether households would need to apply for the payments, whether income limits would apply and how long distribution would take.
Hinojosa is set to take office in January 2027, when the Texas Legislature will also convene for its next regular session.
For now, the $1,500 payments remain a proposal, not an approved state program.
But for Texans like Oginni, the possibility of extra money could make a meaningful difference.
“Definitely groceries, gas, yeah, just everyday stuff that would definitely help out,” she said.
