Austin bars its city manager from buying any park camera or drone that depends on artificial intelligence
Austin City Council adopted Resolution No. 20260812-017 on August 12th, 2026. It directs the City Manager to write a Parks Security Implementation Plan. It also directs the manager to acquire and deploy security equipment for city parks and recreation lands. The resolution lists the kinds of equipment contemplated. Security cameras are on that list. So are non-recording drones as first responders. So are lighting and access control and signage and radio. The resolution then forbids the City Manager from considering any camera or drone system that depends on artificial intelligence to conduct surveillance or analysis. Anything acquired has to comply with the surveillance technology ordinance the council adopted in April. Parks with a history of violent crime are prioritized for the first deployment. The City Manager owes a progress update to the Council Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee no later than December 9th, 2026. The resolution sets the date by which the update is owed and does not set a date for a meeting. The April ordinance the resolution points at is City Code Chapter 2-19. It already lists artificial intelligence or machine learning tools among what is not permitted. The exception is whatever the city's own policy allows.
How to take part
The progress update is owed to the Council Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee, whose meetings are posted on the city's council calendar and are open to the public. The executed resolution is published in the city's document system and can be read in full.
Where
1 county. In Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos.
Timeline
- decided
Resolution No. 20260812-017 adopted and attested by the City Clerk
- Today
- ordered
the date by which the resolution orders the City Manager to give the Council Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee a progress update. No meeting is set for it
90 days out
How this decision moved
One dated line per check, oldest first. A line that says nothing changed means somebody looked and it had not.
- 2026-09-08
Admitted to the record. The executed resolution is posted in the city's document system. It carries the prohibition on an artificial intelligence camera or drone, the compliance requirement, and the date the City Manager owes the council committee a progress update.
The evidence
Every fact above rests on one of these. The words are the source's own.
The City Manager shall not consider acquisition of any camera or drone system that depends upon artificial intelligence to conduct surveillance or analysis.Resolution No. 20260812-017, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
RESOLUTION NO. 20260812-017Resolution No. 20260812-017, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
Any surveillance technology sought must be acquired, deployed, and used in full compliance with all requirements of Ordinance No. 20260423-029, codified at City Code Chapter 2-19Resolution No. 20260812-017, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
potentially including but not limited to, security cameras, non-recording drones as first responders, lighting, access control/fencing/gates, signage and wayfinding, and radio communication systemsResolution No. 20260812-017, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
Parks with a history of violent crime shall be prioritized for the initial deployment of this equipment.Resolution No. 20260812-017, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
The City Manager shall provide a progress update on the direction given in this Resolution to the Council Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee no later than December 9, 2026.Resolution No. 20260812-017, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to develop a security implementation plan for City parks and recreation lands and facilitiesAustin City Council agenda, August 12, 2026 Primary source, official · austintexas.gov
(B) artificial intelligence or machine learning tools, except as consistent with City policyOrdinance No. 20260423-029, City of Austin, executed copy Primary source, official · services.austintexas.gov
Questions about this decision
Answered from the record itself. Every answer is assembled from stored fields, so an answer the record has no basis for is left out rather than guessed.
What is this decision?
Austin City Council adopted Resolution No. 20260812-017 on August 12th, 2026. It directs the City Manager to write a Parks Security Implementation Plan. It also directs the manager to acquire and deploy security equipment for city parks and recreation lands. The resolution lists the kinds of equipment contemplated. Security cameras are on that list. So are non-recording drones as first responders. So are lighting and access control and signage and radio. The resolution then forbids the City Manager from considering any camera or drone system that depends on artificial intelligence to conduct surveillance or analysis. Anything acquired has to comply with the surveillance technology ordinance the council adopted in April. Parks with a history of violent crime are prioritized for the first deployment. The City Manager owes a progress update to the Council Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee no later than December 9th, 2026. The resolution sets the date by which the update is owed and does not set a date for a meeting. The April ordinance the resolution points at is City Code Chapter 2-19. It already lists artificial intelligence or machine learning tools among what is not permitted. The exception is whatever the city's own policy allows.
Who decides it?
Austin City Council decides. The record names the deciding body for every entry it carries.
Can the public take part?
The progress update is owed to the Council Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee, whose meetings are posted on the city's council calendar and are open to the public. The executed resolution is published in the city's document system and can be read in full.
Where in Texas does it apply?
It covers Travis County in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX area.
Has it been decided?
It has been decided. The dates on the item page carry when.
What happens next?
A ordered is set for December 9th, in 90 days.
When did it start?
The earliest date on its record is August 12th, 2026.
What kind of decision is it?
It is filed under surveillance and policing.
What sources back it?
Three sources back it. Three of them are primary.
Is it on the ERCOT grid?
Yes. It sits inside the ERCOT interconnection.
When was it last checked?
Every fact on it was last verified against its source on September 8th, 2026.
Cite this
Texas AI Docket, Austin bars its city manager from buying any park camera or drone that depends on artificial intelligence. Tracked since August 12th, 2026. Last verified September 8th, 2026. https://texasaidocket.com/item/tx-2026-0129/. Reuse permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. The same entry is in the docket JSON as item tx-2026-0129.
Beat
Filed under Surveillance and policing, with every other decision on that beat.