Michigan Republican lawmaker warns guaranteed income programs do not work, voices opposition to state policy

Guaranteed income programs do not work and amount to mere "redistributions of wealth," according to Michigan Republican state Rep.

Jay DeBoyer, who joined other Republicans in the state Legislature in criticizing the programs, which have gained prominence in recent years.

"Absolutely not.

When does that stop?" Michigan State Rep.

Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, told Fox News Digital.

"When you think about the role of government, the role of government is not to fund people's lives.

The role of the government is to provide a conducive environment where you have opportunities for success." DeBoyer, who chairs the state House Oversight Committee, is leading a contingent of Michigan House Republicans demanding rigorous inspection of Rx Kids — a taxpayer-funded initiative billed as the nation's largest prenatal and infant cash assistance program.

Lawmakers are raising alarms over how hundreds of millions of public dollars are being spent.

DIRECTOR OF 'CASH GIVEAWAY' PROGRAM TAILORED TO NEW MOTHERS GRILLED ON HOW TAXPAYER FUNDING IS USED IN DEBATE The scrutiny boiled over during a June 2 House Oversight Committee hearing, where GOP lawmakers targeted the program’s lack of spending restrictions or income limits.

Republican leaders argue the state-funded initiative has evolved into something far different than what was originally presented to the Legislature, accusing Democrats of using hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding to advance a broader guaranteed-income agenda.

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall told Fox News Digital that lawmakers were led to believe they were funding a targeted maternal and prenatal health initiative — not what he characterized as an open-ended social experiment.

Under the current design, Rx Kids provides expectant mothers with a lump-sum payment of $1,500 during pregnancy, followed by $500 per month for six or 12 months after birth, depending on the participating community, regardless of household income.

GOP lawmakers across the country have raised similar legal, budgetary, and ideological objections to guaranteed basic income (GBI) and direct cash transfer programs .

In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County over its Uplift Harris direct-cash pilot, prompting the Texas Supreme Court to block the payments in 2024.