Attempts to outlaw basic income schemes, which provide citizens with unconditional payments, are being made by Republican lawmakers in Arizona and other Republicans across the nation.
A bill designed to prohibit any county or town in Arizona from paying an individual as an element of a guaranteed basic income scheme was proposed by state legislators. According to the law, House Bill 2375, a “guaranteed income program” is any arrangement in which an individual gets funds that are “unearned” and may be utilized for any purpose.
Guaranteed Basic Income plans are being tested in several places nationwide, either by nonprofit organizations or local initiatives. Low-income individuals or families who participate in the programs usually receive $500– $1,000 each month to spend as they like.
For instance, a basic income program in Denver, which provides up to $1,000 per month to certain individuals, was recently expanded in response to participant reports of improved housing stability.
The rise in homelessness, concerns about AI replacing large numbers of employment, the consequences of the pandemic, and the challenge of affordable housing have all contributed to the growing popularity of basic income programs in current years.
The majority of these initiatives are not the same as the $1,000 monthly universal basic income that businessman and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang advocated for during his 2016 campaign. A universal basic income program would provide a base payment to all citizens through the government. In addition, certain demographic groups are the focus of the nation’s expanding guaranteed basic income initiatives.
Programs for guaranteed basic income have their detractors, although they are less contentious politically than universal basic income.