The fee, the network, and who was reading it
The deck
The story
A town voted 28 cameras off.
The council voted unanimously to end its agreement with Flock. Its cameras read license plates.
Then a cover goes on.
All 28 automated license plate reader cameras in the contract will be turned off and covered.
28 CAMERAS IN THE CITY CONTRACT, AND THE RECORD SAYS THEY WILL BE COVERED RATHER THAN TAKEN DOWN c20.
459 counted. None named.
459 outside organizations ran nearly 1.6 million searches that included this network.
OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RAN SEARCHES INCLUDING PFLUGERVILLE'S CAMERA NETWORK, LAST SIX MONTHS c21.
It started as one dollar.
In 2023 the Legislature unanimously raised auto insurance costs by $1 to combat catalytic converter theft.
ADDED TO AUTO INSURANCE COSTS FOR TEXANS, PASSED UNANIMOUSLY IN 2023 c13.
El Paso to the Louisiana border.
At least $30 million of the fee went to cameras along highways and streets.
This is what the fee was for.
Plate reader data was searched 62,000 times in 2025.
One contract, three years.
In 2025 the authority signed a three year contract with the Department of Public Safety.
THE THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY c17.
Then an order to pause.
The Governor's own news index carries no release on it.
"To the extent any funding comes from Texas agencies, those agencies are clarifying that those funds cannot be used for Flock cameras"
The board meets October 13th.
The state motor vehicles department lists the meeting and what it will publish from it.
LISTED ON THE STATE MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT'S OWN PAGE txdmv.gov/about-us/MVCPA · c40.
What was verified
Eight agreements filed by TeraFab AI, LLC sit on the Texas Comptroller's Current JETI Agreements table, four with Anderson-Shiro CISD and four with Iola ISD. Every one of the eight is classified Semiconductor Manufacturing.
TeraFab AI, LLC (Phase 1)
The four Anderson-Shiro CISD phases carry proposed investment cells of $10 Billion, $24 Billion, $24 Billion and $16 Billion. The four Iola ISD phases carry $6 Billion, $15 Billion, $15 Billion and $10 Billion.
TeraFab AI, LLC (Phase 2)
Every one of the eight TeraFab AI, LLC rows shows a Limitation Percentage of 50% and a Minimum Required Jobs value of 10.
TeraFab AI, LLC (Phase 4)
Oncor's own project page records the Public Utility Commission of Texas decision on the Dinosaur to Longshore 765 kilovolt line as approved on August 28th, 2026.
PUC Decision – Approved on August 28, 2026.
The line runs from a proposed Dinosaur Switch about 3 miles north of Glen Rose in Somervell County. It ends at the existing Longshore Switch about 4.5 miles west of Forsan in Howard County.
it proposes to construct a new 765 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from Oncor's proposed Dinosaur Switch, located approximately 3 miles north of the City of Glen Rose in Somervell County, to Oncor's existing Longshore Switch located approximately 4.5 miles west of the City of Forsan in Howard County, Texas (Project).
Oncor states the route will run approximately 235 to 270 miles depending on the route chosen, and that the project is planned for completion in 2028.
The proposed transmission line project will be approximately 235-270 miles long depending on the route if approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas ("PUCT"). The Proposed Transmission Line Project is currently planned for completion in 2028.
Oncor filed the application at the Public Utility Commission of Texas on February 19th, 2026 under Docket No. 59315.
On February 19, 2026 Oncor filed an Application at the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) under Docket No. 59315 to construct and operate the proposed project.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas authorized the buildout of more than 400 miles of transmission lines to serve the oil and gas and industrial manufacturing industries.
the Public Utility Commission of Texas has authorized the buildout of more than 400 miles of transmission lines to deliver electricity to the power-starved oil and gas and industrial manufacturing industries.
The commission voted unanimously to approve amendments to two Oncor certificates and tabled a decision on the Howard Solstice transmission line for further deliberations.
The five-panel commission voted unanimously to approve amendments to two Certificates of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) filed by Oncor, contrary to calls from the Texas Senate and certain House members to delay approvals until the Legislature could reform the process. Commissioners tabled a decision on the Howard Solstice transmission line, which would run through South Texas, to conduct further deliberations.
The approval clears construction on two 765 kilovolt lines shipping electricity southwest from Bosque County, and the two applications span at least 30 counties.
The approval means the companies, known as transmission service providers, can begin construction on two 765-kilovolt transmission lines that will ship electricity southwest from Bosque County. The two applications span at least 30 counties.
Governor Greg Abbott ordered all state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras.
Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered all state agencies to pause funding for Flock cameras as scrutiny over the AI-powered surveillance devices has mounted.
Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said Texas agencies are clarifying that their funds can't be used for Flock cameras.
To the extent that cities get any funding for those cameras, most of it comes from the federal government. To the extent any funding comes from Texas agencies, those agencies are clarifying that those funds cannot be used for Flock cameras
In 2023 the Texas Legislature unanimously passed a law raising auto insurance costs for Texans by $1 to combat catalytic converter theft.
In 2023, the Texas Legislature unanimously passed a law raising auto insurance costs for Texans by $1 to combat rampant catalytic converter theft.
A state agency has devoted at least $30 million of that fee to the state's Flock surveillance network, placing cameras from El Paso to the Louisiana border.
Three years later, a little-known state agency has devoted at least $30 million of that fee toward supercharging the state's Flock surveillance network, placing cameras along highways and streets from El Paso to the Louisiana border
The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has turned the $1 fee hike into at least 3,200 Flock cameras.
has turned the $1 fee hike into at least 3,200 Flock cameras.
The fee increase has raised an estimated $81 million, and the authority has funnelled $50.8 million of it into 234 grants.
The $1 per year fee increase has raised an estimated $81 million, allowing the authority to funnel $50.8 million into 234 grants that have helped reimburse police departments for officers, crime analysts and attorneys to prosecute vehicular crimes, as well as drones and other surveillance devices.
In 2025 the authority signed a three year, $15.9 million contract with the Department of Public Safety to install 1,183 cameras.
The authority's most significant investment in Flock came in 2025 when it signed a three-year, $15.9 million contract with DPS to install 1,183 cameras
License plate reader data was searched 62,000 times in 2025, leading to about 1,660 cleared catalytic converter theft cases, according to an authority report.
Data from the license plate readers, known in law enforcement as LPRs, was searched 62,000 times in 2025, leading to about 1,660 cleared catalytic converter theft cases, a report from the authority said.
Pflugerville's city council voted unanimously to end its agreement with Flock.
Council ended up voting unanimously to end its agreement with Flock.
All 28 automated license plate reader cameras in the Pflugerville contract will be turned off and covered.
All 28 automated license plate reader cameras included in the contract will be turned off and covered.
Records showed 459 outside organizations ran nearly 1.6 million searches touching Pflugerville's camera network over the last six months.
Those records showed that 459 outside organizations conducted nearly 1.6 million searches that included Pflugerville's camera network over the last six months, says Coffman.
House Bill 3512 requires annual AI awareness training for certain state and local government employees and officials.
House Bill 3512 requires annual AI Awareness Training for certain state and local government employees and officials.
Senate Bill 1964 established the state's AI governance framework and directed the Department of Information Resources to develop a Public Sector AI Sandbox.
Senate Bill 1964 established Texas' AI governance framework and directed DIR to develop the Public Sector AI Sandbox and adopt rules for government use of heightened-scrutiny AI.
House Bill 149 requires governmental entities to disclose their use of AI and creates the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council.
House Bill 149 requires disclosures of use of AI by governmental entities, creating consumer protections, the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council, and a regulatory sandbox while expanding the Information Resources Deployment Review to include agency AI system inventories.
A pending ERCOT revision request would let a Large Computational Load reach ride-through compliance up to 365 days after its in-service date. It applies when the cooling load can't meet the standard on day one.
This Nodal Operating Guide Revision Request (NOGRR) permits a Large Computational Load (LCL) to achieve compliance with the applicable ride-through requirements within 365 days after its in-service date where the LCL's cooling load is unable to satisfy such requirements as of the in-service date due to ongoing design and manufacturing limitations, including constraints associated with vendors' continued adaptation of chiller and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) equipment to the applicable standards.
The request is NOGRR289, submitted by SB Energy, posted July 21st, 2026, and still pending with the Reliability and Operations Subcommittee as its next group.
Extension for LCL Cooling Load Ride-Through Compliance
ERCOT's Chad Seely said the grid operator will not have the Batch Zero study done by April 9th, 2027.
We will not have the study done by April 9, 2027.
About 300 data centers of 75 MW or larger are navigating the Batch Zero process. ERCOT will run a community impact review on data centers and crypto facilities of 25 MW and above.
There are about 300 data centers 75 MW or larger navigating the Batch Zero process, and ERCOT will also perform a community impact review on data centers and crypto facilities of 25 MW and above, to comply with Abbott's directive, officials said.
Eight Texas school districts are now on OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teachers. They include Northside ISD in San Antonio, Houston ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Dallas ISD, Frisco ISD, Killeen ISD, Abilene ISD and Humble ISD.
In Texas, these now include NISD in San Antonio, Houston ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Dallas ISD, Frisco ISD, Killeen ISD, Abilene ISD and Humble ISD, which have all either implemented ChatGPT for Teachers districtwide or are in the process of doing so.
OpenAI said on Wednesday, August 26th, 2026 that it would expand its school partnerships to 55 new K-12 systems.
On Wednesday, Open AI announced it would expand their school partnerships to 55 new K-12 systems.
National Nurses United objects to Timpani, also called HCA Inspire, which schedules nursing staff and moves those decisions away from local hospital managers.
Timpani, otherwise known as HCA Inspire, is used for nursing staff scheduling, removing hospitals' local managers from staffing decisions and replacing them with an anonymous office in Nashville.
Austin was the only Texas site among the August 27th nurse actions against Palantir.
The August 27 actions will take place in Palo Alto, Calif.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; Washington, D.C.; Portland, Maine; Asheville, N.C., Austin, Texas; and New Orleans, La.
Kodiak says its triple-trailer trucks run as part of a fleet of 35 driverless trucks with no humans in the cab as of June 30th, 2026.
These triple-trailer trucks are now plying routes as part of a fleet of 35 driverless trucks with no humans in the cab as of June 30, 2026
Kodiak says the full triple-trailer vehicle stretches 50 meters and can weigh 275,000 pounds when loaded.
The loads are enormous: when full, the whole vehicle configuration can weigh 275,000 pounds, more than the weight of a fully loaded Boeing 757.
Kodiak says the Driver has carried more than 1,400 loads in the triples configuration since launching triples in February.
Since launching triples in February, the Kodiak Driver has carried more than 1,400 loads in the triples configuration.
The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce carries an interim charge on managing data center growth.
Study the adequacy of current statutory, regulatory, and infrastructure frameworks to meet the rapidly increasing demand from large electric loads, such as data centers.
Apple's new Houston training center sits inside the same facility that builds and ships its AI servers, and Mac mini manufacturing begins there this year.
The AMC is located within the same Houston facility that builds and ships Apple's advanced AI servers and will begin manufacturing Mac mini this year.
Fort Worth's proposed Carrier site sits next to the recently opened Wistron plant, which manufactures components for data centers.
The proposed location, Alliance Westport 12, at 1501 Distribution Drive in AllianceTexas, is next to the recently opened Wistron plant, which manufactures components for data centers.
Carrier would agree to a minimum capital investment of $433.8 million in a new plant by the end of 2028. The council is expected to vote on the incentives at its September 15th meeting.
In return, the company, based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, would agree to a minimum capital investment of $433.8 million in a new plant by the end of 2028.
The Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority's next board meeting is listed on the state motor vehicles department's own page as October 13th, 2026. Agenda, Materials, Video and Transcript are listed under it.
October 13, 2026 - MVCPA Board Meeting | Agenda | Materials | Video | Transcript
The Office of the Texas Governor's own news index carries no release on the order, on Flock, on cameras or on license plate readers.
News | Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott